13-year-old girl accused of killing mom after her phone was taken away, police say

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (Gray News) - A 13-year-old girl is accused of killing her mom after having her phone taken away on Friday, according to Pennsylvania authorities.

Wilkes-Barre Police responded to the scene around 12:30 p.m., due to reports of an unresponsive woman.

When officers arrived, they found a 44-year-old victim with multiple stab wounds to her neck, back and blood coming from her head, WYOU reported.

Officers said when they first made contact with Lataya Powell she said she was sorry she killed her mother.

“I killed my mom, and she’ll never forgive me if she is alive,” Powell reportedly told police.

Authorities said she stabbed her mother during an argument and threw the weapon on the neighbor’s doorstep.

“I don’t have my phone because my mom took it before our fight,” she said.

While being taken into custody, she told WYOU that she felt “regret, guilt and self-disgust.”

Police also found an 11-year-old boy with stab wounds to the back, but they appeared to be non-life threatening.

Powell has been charged with homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, and tampering with evidence.

She is being charged as an adult.

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