unnamed boy
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CANDID ID: AZ_22_1397
AGE
6   years
STATE
Arizona
DATE OF DEATH
9/28/2022
DEATH RECORDS
Not Available
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
On the evening of September 28, 2022, 28-year-old Lydia Carol King fatally shot her husband and her 6-year-old son near the town of Kaibeto on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona. King told FBI agents she feared her husband would harm her and decided to kill him first, shooting him multiple times in the back and then in the head. She then fatally shot her 6-year-old son in the face as he pleaded with her not to do it. After the killings, King drove away and fired shots at passing vehicles before appearing at a Flagstaff hospital the next morning, where she voluntarily confessed to killing two people. She was charged with two federal counts of first-degree murder, and a mental competency hearing was scheduled.
Contexts/Conditions

Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?

Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?

Is there any mention of a firearm incident?

The child's death was caused by a gunshot. All three documents describe the child as having been shot. The azfamily article states the child was "found shot in the head," and the AP News article states King "fatally shot her son in the face."

Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?

Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

The child was fatally shot by his mother. The AP News article states King "fatally shot her son in the face as he pleaded with her not to do it." The azfamily article states King "admitted to shooting her young son." Both bodies were described as having "a gunshot wound to the head."

Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?

Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?

Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?

Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?

Is there any mention of sexual abuse?

Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?

Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?

Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?

Individuals Involved

Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?

Was a biological father involved in the death?

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

Lydia Carol King is the biological mother of the 6-year-old boy and is charged with his murder. The azfamily article states she is accused of "shooting her husband and 6-year-old son" and later "admitted to shooting her young son." The AP News article states she "fatally shot her son in the face."

Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?

Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?

Was a foster parent involved in the death?

Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?

Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)

Was a sibling involved in the death?

Child Characteristics

Was the child adopted?

Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?

Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?

Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?

Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)

Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)

Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?

Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?

Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?

Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?

Parent/Caregiver Factors

Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?

All three documents confirm that Lydia Carol King was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The azfamily article states "King has since been charged with two federal counts of first-degree murder." The AP News article states "The FBI said 28-year-old Lydia Carol King is being held on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder."

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

The azfamily article states "King told FBI agents she had wondered if her husband and her brothers were going to harm her, so she would kill them first." The AP News article similarly states "King told FBI agents that she wondered if her husband was going to harm her and decided to kill him first." These statements reference a fear of violence from a domestic partner. Additionally, the azfamily article closes with "Navajo Nation provides resources for tribal members who are victims of domestic violence," further contextualizing the domestic violence angle. While no confirmed history of domestic violence is documented, King's stated fear of harm from her husband implies domestic violence concerns.

Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?

Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?

The AP News article states "King has a scheduled Oct. 24 hearing in U.S. Magistrate Court in Flagstaff to determine her mental competency." This directly references a mental health evaluation of the parent/caregiver charged with the child's death.

Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Notable Details

Several notable details emerge from the text. First, the case is under federal jurisdiction because the incident occurred on the Navajo Nation (Indian Country), resulting in federal first-degree murder charges and FBI involvement rather than state charges. Second, after killing her husband and son, King fired shots at several passing vehicles between Kaibeto and Red Lake, posing additional danger to the public. Third, King voluntarily presented herself at a Flagstaff hospital and confessed to the killings unprompted, telling a hospital employee "she had killed two people on the Navajo reservation." Fourth, a mental competency hearing was scheduled for October 24, indicating questions about King's mental state. Fifth, the AP and Fox News articles report that the 6-year-old son "pleaded with her not to do it" before being fatally shot in the face.

Lives Cut Short