Child Stabbings Leave 1 Kid Dead, 3 Injured

Jan. 17, 2012— -- Two communities have been stunned by the violence carried out by young boys, one 5 and the other 10, who stabbed their playmates. The attacks in Virginia and California left one child dead and three wounded.

A 5-year-old from Ruckersville, Va., is in police custody after stabbing two other children and an adult with a sharp object, according to the Greene County Sheriff's department. The incident occurred following an altercation over a juicebox, according to ABC News affiliate WVEC.

The child's name was not released.

Three victims, one of whom was related to the young attacker, were treated at a hospital for non-life threatening injuries, while the boy underwent evaluation by authorities, police said.

Across the country in San Diego, Calif., a 10-year-old boy killed a 12-year-old by stabbing him in the chest, police said.

The boys were playing with some other boys in the 10-year-old's driveway before the stabbing occurred Monday, neighbors told ABC. Police received a 911 call at 1:20 p.m., and arrived minutes later to find the older boy bleeding from a wound to the chest. He died in the hospital shortly after, police said.

Neighbor Wayne King said he came out of his home shortly after the incident and saw paramedics loading the injured child into the ambulance. King also said he heard awful screams coming from the house, yelling that he didn't mean to do it. The 10-year-old's mother was in the house at the time.

Police said that law enforcement authorities were working in conjunction with department of child welfare officials on the case.

Violent attacks, especially murder, are considered extremely rare among young children. The FBI reports that in 2010, only 11 murder suspects were under the age of 13 years old.