Boy, 10, Charged with Murdering 90-Year-Old Woman

Will be treated as an adult

Pennsylvania police say a 10-year-old boy lost his temper and killed a 90-year-old woman Saturday.

The boy, from Damascus, Penn., was charged as an adult Monday night with criminal homicide in the death of Helen Novak.

According to the criminal complaint, the boy was visiting his grandfather, Anthony Virbitsky, who served as Novak's caretaker. The boy entered Novak's room Saturday morning as she was sitting in bed. When she yelled at him to get out, he got angry, left the room and came back with a cane, the complaint alleges. He then put the cane to her throat and pulled back for about four or five seconds, police said. He also punched her in the stomach five times, the criminal complaint alleges.

The boy then went to his grandfather and told him that Novak was bleeding from her mouth but that he hadn't hurt her, the complaint says. Virbitsky told law enforcement that he checked on Novak, who was "breathing heavy and looked scared," but Virbitsky said that she wasn't bleeding, and said she was okay and didn't want to go to the hospital.