A 16-year-old girl from Waldorf, Maryland, has been held at a secured juvenile facility in Washington, D.C. following a decision by a D.C. Superior Court magistrate judge. The teenager is facing charges of second-degree murder, among other serious offenses, in connection with the stabbing death of another 16-year-old, Naima Liggon. The incident unfolded during an argument over dipping sauce, according to Judge Sherri Beatty-Arthur. The altercation occurred outside a McDonald’s restaurant on U and 14th Streets Northwest, where a group of young people had stopped after attending a party in D.C.
After nearly two-and-a-half hours of deliberation, the D.C. Superior Court magistrate judge ruled to keep the 16-year-old girl in custody until her next hearing on Friday. The teenager, whose identity has not been disclosed, is accused of several criminal charges related to the fatal stabbing of Naima Liggon. The judge’s decision came after hearing details of the incident, which reportedly began as an argument over sweet and sour sauce.
According to the proceedings, the argument escalated into a physical altercation after the group of teenagers exited the vehicle outside the McDonald’s. The defense attorney representing the accused claimed self-defense, alleging that the teenage suspect was attacked during the fight. However, the prosecutor argued that surveillance video footage captured the suspect lunging towards the victim, even after the fight had seemingly ended. This dispute occurred around 2:10 a.m. on Sunday, resulting in Liggon being stabbed in the abdomen and torso. She was later pronounced dead at Howard University Hospital.
Naima Liggon’s mother, Joy Liggon, described her daughter as a beautiful, smart, and talented young lady who had a passion for music, the arts, and basketball. Naima had recently been hired as a doughnut specialist at Krispy Kreme and was looking forward to obtaining her driver’s license. The devastating loss has deeply affected the Liggon family, their friends, and the community.