Document: Brother Of Slain Detroit Girl Re-Enacts Her Death
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A court document says the younger brother of an 8-year-old girl who told children's advocacy workers that he watched his mother stab his sister to death in their Detroit home continues to re-enact the slaying.
The document, filed by the state in Wayne County's Juvenile Court, says the 4-year-old doesn't understand Tameria Greene is dead. That brother, according to a petition filed by the Department of Human Services last week, told authorities his mother "had a big knife and cut his sister and his mother killed Ti-Ti."
Police say 8-year-old Tameria was found dead in her home on Larned Street, near downtown Detroit, on Dec. 30. An autopsy determined that the girl died of a single stab wound to the chest. Her mother, 26-year-old Semeria Greene, has been charged with murder.
The revealing document was filed in a neglect case involving Greene's four sons. The state wants to end Greene's parental rights to her other children, all boys ages 7, 4, 2 and 1. They are currently in the care of Child Protective Services, which said during a hearing Monday that it plans to have the children placed with relatives and adopted.
The neglect case against Greene began in October, after Tameria was found to have bruises and bite marks on her body. A court official who was asked to remove Tameria and the other children from the home, however, turned down the state's request because he believed there was no immediate danger.
"They're in no more danger today than they were yesterday. And no one came to court yesterday to ask for the children to be removed," Richard Smart, a referee in the family division of Wayne County Circuit Court, said on Nov. 23, referring to Tameria and her four siblings.
Smart told the department that it could appeal his decision to a judge, but the state declined. Instead, the removal request was set for a January trial. Five weeks later, Tameria was found dead.
Greene is being held without bond in the murder case. A pretrial hearing is set for Jan. 24.
Meantime, hundreds of mourners turned out for Tameria's funeral on Wednesday. Her white casket was anchored by pink, purple and silver balloons surrounded by flowers.
Many spoke of her giving and helpful ways for such a young child. Sandrew King is the Community Organizer at the Martin L. King Apartments where Greene's family lived.
"She always had a smile on her face. She referred to me as the movie man because in the summer, I would show movies for the community. And the kids would come out and we would have popcorn and we'd watch movies outside in the little field," King said.
Tameria is to be buried at a later date at Sunset Hills Cemetery in Superior Township.
Read more about the Greene case, here.
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