Teen accused of mum's murder gave teary interview

Teenager Brad George stood in front of the family home and gave a tearful interview to TV crews about his mother's murder.

The next day he was accused of beating her to death with a dumbbell.

Police charged the 16-year-old with murder after he allegedly confessed to fatally bashing 37-year-old adoptive mother Georgina Latshaw last Thursday night inside their apartment at Everett, in the US state of Washington.

His original story was that he found Ms Latshaw dead in her bedroom shortly arriving home from school on Friday.

The troubled teen told local news network KIRO TV: "She has supported me my whole life. "She always knew what was best for us. I don't know who could have done this."

But police said Brad's story soon unravelled under questioning.

Having not taking his medications for a mood disorder or slept properly for three days, Brad became convinced the woman who adopted him 10 years ago was trying to poison him with bleach.

He waited until she was asleep and then broke into her bedroom and smashed her over the head with a heavy weight, police said.

Brad then cleaned the blood off and attended his special needs school the following morning.

The teen also tried to make the bloody scene look like a botched burglary, police said.

On Saturday he was arrested and appeared before a juvenile court for a brief hearing on Monday.

Prosecutors are pushing to have him tried as an adult.

Author: Erin Tennant. Approving editor: Nick Pearson.
Sources: KIRO TV, The Herald of Everett