A Michigan man has been sentenced to life in prison for stabbing his step-daughter to death in 2016 because she was hungry and asked for food, reported the Lansing State Journal.
Thomas McClellan, 25, described to police the tragic event that occurred sometime on Nov. 1 2016. He said that he “snapped” when his 5-year-old step-daughter, Luna Young, came into his bedroom and interrupted his nap by asking for food. He then proceeded to stab her at least 5 times.
After stabbing Young, McClellan piled blankets and paper towels on her body, and proceeded to pour vodka over the pile and set it on fire.
McClellan’s wife and mother to Young, Victoria King, was working at the time. The two had argued that morning before King left for work. They had married just three months earlier.
McClellan was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree child abuse, and first-degree arson in his trial earlier in July.
The prosecution had previously told the court that McClellan had time to think before choosing to stab Luna. After stabbing the child, McClellan chose to shower and then light the body on fire instead of calling 911. He then discarded his phone, before buying a new one and checking into a local motel.
His sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder charge was announced by Judge Joyce Draganchuk on Aug. 23 in a hearing at Ingham County Circuit Court. McClellan was also sentenced to 18 to 30 years on both the charges of child abuse and arson.
“There exists a sadness like none we have ever known,” said Paula McKay, a babysitter for Luna who was speaking on behalf of the girl’s family. “A sadness at the loss of so many hopes and dreams. Hopes for the future of you and Victoria. Hope for the future of a little girl—our lovely Luna. Hope for two mothers who saw their children happy and content in a new marriage. Hope for two families who had come together on a day not so far away in the past.”
“I believe that something evil overtook you that day, and that you are not inherently evil,” McKay continued.
“Tom, I forgive you and I pray for you. And I desire peace and hope for you.”
In an earlier police interview, recorded hours after the murder when McClellan turned himself in, Detective Charles Buckland asked McClellan, “What was so awful about Luna today that you had to kill her. What'd she do, Tom?”
After a long period of silence, McClellan said, “I told her it wasn’t dinner time.”
McClellan then went on to describe that he tried to shoo Luna out of this bedroom, but she lay on the floor.
“It tipped me over the edge,” McClellan told Buckland. “She gave me more attitude.”
McClellan described that he then grabbed Luna and, sitting on her torso, stabbed her chest numerous times with a pocket knife.
“What'd she do when you stabbed her,” Detective Buckland asked.
“She cried, and she coughed,” McClellan responded. “Not very long.”
Judge Draganchuk said to the court hearing before announcing McClellan’s sentence, “I understand how people sometimes who are not evil do evil things. I think everyone sort of sees that as the picture that took place here. The tragedy is just unspeakable and the pain on all sides.”
Judge Draganchuk continued, “I think the whole community, beyond just the affected families, the whole community is asking ‘why, why?’ And the answer is, we need to leave ‘why’ behind because there is no ‘why,’ and it will only torture everyone trying to understand why.”
“Because what reason would possibly justify this, where we would say, ‘oh that’s an explanation of why?’ There is none. There is none, and we will only hurt ourselves by dwelling on the ‘why.’”
Luna’s mother did not attend the sentencing. Other family members declined to comment after the hearing.
From NTD.tv
