Group of 5th grade girls accused of plotting to kill a boy

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Four elementary school girls in Arizona are accused of plotting to kill a classmate by stabbing him in a school bathroom.

The case involves four girls, ages 10 and 11, who are fifth graders at Legacy Traditional School’s West Surprise campus.

A newly released report from Surprise Police said the friends devised the plan during lunch and recess on Oct. 1, 2024.

“Just end him” was the goal, according to the police report, which said the motive may be about a recent break-up and cheating allegations.

According to the police report, the girls planned to lure a classmate to the charter school’s outside bathroom and stab him in the stomach.

Each girl had a role to play to get away with it. One would bring the knife, another would forge a suicide note to make it seem like he took his own life, and someone would act as a lookout while the other carried out the stabbing.

To avoid fingerprints on the murder weapon, they planned to wear gloves, the police report says.

School administrators worked with the school resource officer to investigate after students who overheard the murder plot came forward.

The next day, the girls’ backpacks were searched, and they were questioned individually with their parents present.

All four children were arrested on charges of threatening and misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

The police report said three students showed remorse, but the fourth would “smile and laugh while making excuses for their actions.”

Travis Webb, a licensed clinical therapist, said a few factors could prevent children from realizing how serious their actions can be.

“Their brains are underdeveloped at 10, 11 years old,” Webb said. “The female brain isn’t even quite half developed, the part of the brain that regulates emotion. That kind of talks sense into this. It’s early 20s before the female brain is finished developing.”

On top of that, Webb said that kids are exposed to more violence at a young age than in the past because of social media.

“2025 is different than 1995. It’s different than 1975,” he said. “They don’t really come up with this on their own. They don’t think violently. They certainly don’t think about gloves and fingerprints and suicide notes.”

He said parents should not give kids unrestricted access to the internet and assume they’ll be OK.

“You have to be a little more aware and a little more vigilant in talking to your kids about what they’re seeing on the internet and really helping them,” Webb said.

He suggests parents approach their kids and ask if they’ve had thoughts of hurting themselves or others. He said not to make a child feel as if they’ll get into trouble if they say yes.

Instead, he said to really listen to them. If they do have harmful thoughts, he recommends seeking professional help.

When asked for an update on this case, Surprise Police said the department “has not shared and does not plan to share any further details about this incident.”