A 5-year-old boy stabbed his twin brother during a fight in their Northern California, authorities said. The boy later died at a nearby hospital.
A Northern California family is in mourning after a fight between two 5-year-old twins ended in death for one of the boys, authorities said.
Sheriff's deputies in Santa Cruz responded to a stabbing report Thursday. At the home, they discovered a seriously injured child.
"When deputies arrived, they learned that two 5-year-old twins were fighting, as siblings sometimes do," the sheriff's office said in a statement on its Facebook page.
One of the boys grabbed a small kitchen knife and stabbed his brother in the neck, the statement said.
The injured child was taken to a medical center, where he later died.
"Despite lifesaving efforts by our deputies, emergency personnel, and hospital staff, the 5-year-old passed away at the hospital," the statment said.
After consulting with the District Attorney's office, investigators decided no charges would be filed, the sheriff's office said.
"California law dictates that age, criminal intent, and knowledge of wrongfulness are factors needed to charge a child with a crime," the sheriff's office said.
An investigation determined there was no wrongdoing by anyone involved in the tragic incident, authorities said.
"We are heartbroken for the family of these two young children and share in their grief," the statement said. No identifying information was released about the family.
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