An 11-year-old boy over in the States (where else?) has been charged with criminal homicide after shooting his dad in the head at their home in Pennsylvania.

Douglas Dietz, 42, was found dead in his bedroom, which is connected to his son’s room by a closet, in the early hours of Tuesday January 13.

His wife, who has not been named, told police she was woken by a loud bang and could smell ‘something similar to fireworks’. She tried to wake her husband, but soon realised he had a hole in his head and that there was blood everywhere.

Police later identified the couple’s 11-year-old son, Clayton, as the suspect. Clayton told officers he was angry after his dad took his Nintendo Switch away and told him to go to bed.

He had also entered his parents’ bedroom shouting ‘Daddy’s dead’, and was heard telling his mum: ‘I killed daddy.’

Investigators said the boy found a key to his dad’s drawer and unlocked a safe while looking for his Nintendo Switch, which had been confiscated.

He took the gun from the safe, loaded it with bullets, walked to his dad’s side of the bed, and fired a single shot into his head.

As if this couldn’t sound any more tragic – the incident happened just hours after the family had celebrated Clayton’s 11th birthday.

Authorities also noted that Douglas and his wife adopted Clayton in 2018.


Clayton was taken into custody and charged with criminal homicide. The question is – what are you supposed to do with an 11-year-old who shoots and kills his (adoptive) dad?

The laws vary by state, but from what I can see, Pennsylvania allows juveniles aged 10 and older accused of homicide to automatically be charged as adults. Their lawyers can later argue to have the case moved to juvenile court.

Maybe we’ll get more details on this kid’s upbringing and the relationship with his adoptive parents, but surely there must have been some failure by the system or the adults around him, right?

I mean, what kind of child executes his dad in his sleep because he took his Nintendo Switch away? This boy was either traumatised before his adoption or was born with something seriously wrong with him. Perhaps we’ll find out when more information is forthcoming.

RIP Douglas Dietz and thoughts with his wife, friends and family.

For the Florida teen who KO’d his teacher after she confiscated his Nintendo Switch in class