A 12-year-old boy accused of stabbing and killing a gas station employee in Prince George's County, Maryland, in August is back in juvenile detention after authorities say he attacked a student at school.
The boy, who has not been identified due to his age, was charged as a juvenile with first-degree murder and other charges after police said he and a 15-year-old boy fatally stabbed 37-year-old Isreal Akingbesote at the US Fuel on Woodyard Road in Clinton before 5 a.m. on Aug. 10.
Akingbesote was trying to prevent the two boys from stealing drinks from the station when they stabbed him multiple times, police said.
After the killing, the 12-year-old boy was held in solitude at the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center in Cheltenham until Judge Peter Killough agreed to release him back to his family until trial. Killough also ordered that the boy return to school. He had not attended school for two years, according to court testimony.
On Tuesday, the boy was back in court after he was accused of violently attacking another student in the class.
Judge Michael Pearson, who has replaced Killough as the head of juvenile courts, ordered that the boy go back to Cheltenham saying: "I have to look at the community as a whole, and I'm not convinced that there are circumstances short of detention that would ensure the safety of the public as a whole based on your conduct over the past 60 days."
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Pearson replaced Killough after some county leaders accused the courts of being a revolving door for juvenile offenders.
"I think every judge brings their own background and perspective when determining the appropriate outcomes in juvenile cases," Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy said.
Braveboy said her office has noticed a change under Pearson.
"We remain consistent in our recommendations, and we are finding that the outcomes have been good as we move forward under this leadership," she said.
According to court testimony, Killough did not order that the school be notified that the 12-year-old was awaiting trial for murder. Another detention hearing is set for him in November.
The 15-year-old who was charged as an adult remains in custody.
