Teen Could Be Tried as Adult in Connection with 13-Year-Old Cheerleader’s Death
Tennessee prosecutors have announced plans to try a 15-year-old suspect as an adult in the killing of a 13-year-old girl.
Malakiah Harris has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of Savannah Copeland on October 22, as reported by WATE-TV.
Authorities revealed that Copeland was stabbed multiple times with a pocketknife.
“Normally in juvenile court the focus is the best interest of the child; in a serious criminal case, that goes out the window,” explained legal analyst Greg Isaacs. “A lot more scrutiny and a lot more factors.”
A hearing is set for January to determine whether Harris will face charges as an adult.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office shared in a Facebook post that Copeland’s body was discovered on a walking trail in Powell, Tennessee, on October 22.
A GoFundMe created for her family stated, “Savannah now rests peacefully with the Lord after leaving this earth too soon.”
“Only 13 years old, Savannah was the victim of a brutal murder in the early hours of October 22, 2024. She brought joy to her parents, her brother Britton, and her twin brother Kasey, along with her family and friends. Her life was taken in a senseless act, leaving behind a heartbroken family,” the fundraiser page shared.
13 YO #SavannahCopeland was allegedly stabbed to death by a 15 YO. Horrible. It reminds me so much of the #TristynBaily case in Florida.
— Jennifer Coffindaffer (@CoffindafferFBI) November 23, 2024
Motive and relationship is unknown. The prosecution is planning to charge him as an adult. Femicide at such a young age....
I feel… pic.twitter.com/bmy1Udk2cn
Michael Copeland, Savannah’s father, shared with WVLT-TV that he sensed something was wrong the night she didn’t return home.
Using his phone to track her location, he discovered her body.
“I believe it was a lack of compassion and a lack of empathy that drove the hand that took my daughter’s life,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude for the community’s support, saying it has helped the family cope.
“It helps to kind of restore my faith in God and everyone around us,” he added.
Remembering Savannah, a middle school cheerleader, her father described her as full of “spunkiness, eagerness, and kind of a go-getter attitude.”
In her memory, Copeland placed a cross at the site where she was killed, hoping it serves as a reminder to promote kindness.
“I’m not going to allow my heart to be filled with that kind of rage; it’s going to be filled with compassion. That’s the only way I know how to defeat evil,” he said.