On the day that marks his 11th birthday, Clay Dietz fatally shot his adoptive father in their Pennsylvania home. Moments after his parents greeted him and sang 'happy birthday' at midnight on 13 January, a loud 'bang' was heard.
During the investigation, the boy was heard saying, 'I killed Daddy' after he got mad over a Nintendo Switch. The boy is nowcharged as an adult with criminal homicide. Here's everything about Clayton Dietz.
Clayton Dietz just turned 11 years old when his life turned upside down over an action that he admitted he did not consider the consequences of. Clayton said his confiscated Nintendo Switch made him 'mad.'
On the midnight of his birthday, his adoptive parents greeted and sang him a 'happy birthday' song, but at approximately 3:00am, the Pennsylvania State Police responded to their home for a report of a male with a gunshot wound, and upon arrival, authorities found Douglas Diets, 42, dead, he was found on his back with an apparent gunshot wound to the head — Clayton shot his father.
Videos circulating online show the 11-year-old boy, handcuffed and surrounded by probation officers as he entered the courtroom. He is being accused of fatally shooting his dad inside their home. He made his first court appearance on Thursday, 11 February.
🇺🇸 An 11-year-old shot his adoptive father to death because his Nintendo was taken away.Clayton Dietz's parents told him to go to bed after midnight. He "got mad," and went looking for his Nintendo Switch in the gun safe.Found the keys instead, and found a revolver next.…pic.twitter.com/aBxfGDJDkF
Clayton's adoptive mum, Jillian Dietz, and Douglas' wife told investigators that she and her husband had gone to bed shortly after midnight after singing 'Happy Birthday' to their son, but a loud noise woke her up.
Jillian attempted to wake her husband but realised that he was unresponsive and saw blood on their bed. When Clayton entered the room, Jillian yelled words to the effect of 'Daddy's dead,'Fox Newsreported. The boy ran downstairs shouting, 'My dad's dead.'
During the investigation, while authorities are speaking with Clayton and Jillian in the kitchen, a state trooper reported hearing Clayton admitting, 'I killed Daddy.'
Authorities also learned during questioning that Clayton was allegedly searching for his Nintendo Switch, which was previously confiscated from him when he found the keys to the gun safe. The child believed that the gaming console might be inside, but instead, when he opened the safe, he found a revolver.
Source: International Business Times UK
