Precious Hamilton, 15, of Crum Lynne (Ridley Township), who is accused of fatally shooting Baseem “Seyven” Baker, 17, of Jenkintown on October 6, has had her case transferred to juvenile court, MainlineMediaNews reported.
In December, Hamilton was charged as an adult due to the violent nature of the alleged crime. The transfer means that she will face time in a juvenile treatment and rehabilitation facility. According to MainLineMedia’s coverage, she has promised to admit to misdemeanor charges of involuntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm. Her initial charges were Third-Degree Murder, Involuntary Manslaughter, Possession of a Firearm by a Minor and Firearms Not to be Carried Without a License.
Hamilton will be placed at Sierra Sage, a residential treatment facility, for at least one year. If she fails to adjust to the program, she will be returned to the Montgomery County Youth Center and detained until placement at another treatment facility can be arranged.
She will remain under court supervision until she is 21, regardless of her progress, MainLineMedia said.
The investigation
According to the initial report, Abington police responded to a 911 call for an unresponsive person in the 100 block of York Road in Jenkintown at 5:01pm on Monday. Officers found Baker deceased from a gunshot wound on the bedroom floor.
Through a joint homicide investigation which included surveillance videos and interviews, detectives learned that Hamilton had been at the Baker’s family residence since Friday night. On Sunday, October 5, Baseem’s 18-year-old cousin told detectives that Hamilton pulled out a small handgun from her bag and showed that the gun was loaded with live ammunition.
Detectives recovered a video and still photo from Sunday from Baseem’s iPad that showed Hamilton holding the small-caliber handgun and “dry firing” the gun out the window of Haseem’s bedroom (“dry firing” is firing a gun without ammunition.
On Monday afternoon, the victim’s mother left Baseem and Hamilton in the apartment at approximately 2:40om to run errands with one of her younger children. She told detectives that she reminded Baseem to lock the apartment door. When she returned at approximately 4:30pm, the apartment door was unlocked and she found Baseem unresponsive in the bedroom.
An autopsy performed today determined that the cause of death was gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death was homicide.
For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.
Photo: Montco DA