Who Was the Youngest Serial Killer Ever?

In 2007, Amarjeet Sada, who lived in a small village in Bihar, India, became the world's youngest serial killer at the age of 8 years old. Sada confessed to killing three children by beating them with rocks — first his six-year-old cousin, then his eight-month-old sister, and then an unrelated six-month-old baby named Khushboo.

According to reports, Sada's father and mother were aware of their son’s actions but chose to conceal them out of fear of shame and retaliation.

It wasn't until Chunchun Devi, the baby's mother, reported Khushboo missing that the police became suspicious of Sada and apprehended him. The young boy confessed to inflicting injuries to all three children, ultimately killing them. He showed no remorse, with officials noting he derived pleasure from the killings.

Under Indian law, a child under 18 cannot be sentenced to death or life imprisonment, so authorities sent Sada to a juvenile home for rehabilitation. Ideally, doctors there would have designed a treatment plan for Sada if one or more psychiatric disorders had influenced his actions. Depending on the individual, such a plan may include medication, talk therapy or other methods of treatment.

Upon Sada becoming an adult, the children's home would have released him. His current whereabouts remain unknown, however, likely because he is living under a new identity.

The U.K. was rocked by the case of Mary Bell, an 11-year-old girl who in 1968 became one of the youngest serial killers in history. Mary Bell was convicted of killing two small boys in such a way that left the nation stunned.

Authorities recovered her first victim, 4-year-old Martin Brown, from an abandoned house, and later, they discovered 3-year-old Brian Howe strangled and mutilated in a shallow grave.

Bell's background was troubling. She grew up in an abusive household, and there were claims that her mother had attempted to kill her as a baby. At school, Bell exhibited violent tendencies, often trying to harm other children.

After she was arrested and in prison, the Evening Standard reported that Bell and a friend had taken responsibility for the killings, but it was Bell who displayed the most disturbing behavior.

During her trial, the court heard that Bell had written notes confessing to the murders, taking pride in her actions. The judge described her as displaying a lack of moral sense, and the court convicted Bell of manslaughter. The authorities transferred her to a children’s home for rehabilitation, where she spent many years under strict supervision.

Like Amarjeet Sada, Bell's current status is unknown. Following her release, the government issued Bell a new identity to protect her from public scrutiny. Her case highlights the psychological impact of childhood trauma and raises questions about how society handles young children who commit violent crimes.

In the United States, Craig Price became infamous for being the youngest serial killer in the country. Born in Rhode Island, Craig committed his first murder in 1987 at the age of 13, when he broke into the home of his neighbor, Rebecca Spencer, and brutally stabbed her to death.

Over the next two years, Price’s violence escalated. At 15, he murdered Joan Heaton and her two young daughters, stabbing them multiple times in their own home.

Price confessed to the killings, claiming he was under the influence of drugs at the time. Unlike Amarjeet Sada, Price was a teen, and his case led to calls for reform in the juvenile justice system.

After the court convicted Price, the system sent him to a youth facility, where he continued to show violent tendencies, attacking guards and other inmates. In 2009, he was sentenced to serve more time for stabbing a prison guard.

Unlike Mary Bell and Amarjeet Sada, Price never received a new identity. His current status places him in prison.

The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) states there are several factors that may lead "to an increased risk of violent behavior in children and adolescents," citing the following:

It's important to seek a professional evaluation for the child right away if a child is at risk based on one or more of the factors above and exhibits any of the following behaviors:

While it's impossible to know whether interventionists could have done anything to prevent the violent crimes of Amarjeet Sada, Mary Bell and Craig Price, experts insist violence in children is preventable, at least to some degree.

According to AACAP, research supports the idea that significantly reducing or eliminating risk factors can decrease or even prevent violent behavior in an adolescent. The organization recommends the following approaches:

AACAP stresses that early intervention with a trained professional can make a notable difference for a child. Online tools like American Psychiatric Association's "Find a Psychiatrist" or the American Psychological Association's "Psychologist Locator" can be helpful starting points toward keeping you, your loved ones and others in the community safe and healthy.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then edited and fact-checked by a HowStuffWorks editor.