It began as an ordinary day in the small, quiet town of Tilden, Wisconsin — but by nightfall, a family’s world had been destroyed.
Inside a licensed in-home daycare, a 6-month-old baby boy named Jaxon Hunter was being cared for by a foster family trusted by the community. In that same house lived a 10-year-old girl, another foster child placed under the same roof. No one could have imagined that within hours, a tragic mistake would turn into a horrific nightmare.
According to investigators, the girl was holding baby Jaxon when she accidentally dropped him, causing him to hit his head on a small footstool. The baby began to cry loudly. Afraid of getting in trouble, the girl panicked — and in a moment of fear and confusion, she stomped on his head to stop him from crying.
Jaxon was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. For two days, doctors fought to save his life. But the injuries were too severe. He passed away from massive head trauma — leaving his parents shattered and an entire town in disbelief.
When police questioned the 10-year-old girl, she broke down in tears. She admitted what she had done, saying she didn’t mean to hurt him — she was scared and didn’t know what else to do.
The confession stunned detectives. It was unthinkable — a 10-year-old facing accusations of first-degree intentional homicide.
Under Wisconsin law, anyone 10 years or older charged with homicide must be prosecuted in adult court. So when the girl appeared before the judge, she was treated not as a child, but as an adult accused of murder.
The scene inside the courtroom was devastating.
The girl sat trembling in an oversized orange jumpsuit, her hands shackled, tears streaming down her face. The judge read the charges: First-degree intentional homicide.
Jaxon’s father sat just a few feet away, his voice breaking as he cried, “I just want justice for my baby.”
The court set bail at $50,000. But before the trial could proceed, two court-appointed psychologists examined the girl and determined she was not competent to stand trial.
They diagnosed her with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) — serious emotional and behavioral conditions. Both experts testified that she lacked the mental capacity to understand the legal process or the consequences of her actions.
As the court ruled her incompetent, the case was suspended indefinitely. The girl was placed under the custody of the Department of Human Services to receive long-term psychiatric treatment.
For Jaxon’s grieving family, it was a painful moment of helplessness. His father told reporters, “It doesn’t matter how old she is. My son is gone. He’ll never grow up, never have his first birthday. There has to be justice.”
The tragedy sparked a fierce public debate across Wisconsin:
Should a 10-year-old be charged as an adult?
Supporters of the law said accountability must exist, even for children. Others argued that the system failed both Jaxon and the girl — pointing to how her foster parents had repeatedly asked for mental health help, only to be told she was “too young” for inpatient care.
Court documents revealed that before the incident, the girl had shown violent outbursts and severe emotional instability. Social workers had noted her troubling behavior, but resources for children under 12 were scarce.
The home where the tragedy occurred was both a foster residence and a daycare, a combination that raised even more questions about oversight, safety, and the pressure placed on caregivers.
The foster parents, who operated the daycare, were devastated as well — one of their foster children had taken another’s life, right under their care.
Years later, the memory of baby Jaxon still haunts the community.
A small memorial sits near the daycare home — a teddy bear, a framed photo, and a candle that locals keep lit on anniversaries.
The 10-year-old girl, whose name remains undisclosed due to her age, continues to live under state supervision. Her future — and whether she will ever face trial — remains uncertain.
For Jaxon’s parents, the pain never fades. They still visit his grave, leaving tiny blue flowers and stuffed animals.
“Every morning, I wake up and I still hear his laugh,” his mother said in a rare interview. “Then I remember — he’s gone. And I’ll never hear it again.”
A tragedy born out of panic, failure, and innocence lost — a case that reminds us just how fragile the line is between childhood and horror.