US teen charged with smothering sister, 3, to quiet her

The mother reportedly asked her elder daughter to quiet the toddler down. Photo / 123RF

A teen in Florida is facing a manslaughter charge after police say she killed her 3-year-old sister by putting a pillow over her head after their mother told the girl to quiet the toddler while she was on a work call at an extended stay hotel.

The 16-year-old girl was arrested last Friday, according to police officials in Altamonte Springs, a suburb of Orlando.

According to a police report, the 3-year-old girl was being loud so their mother asked her older daughter to keep her younger sister quiet in the suite's living room while she was on the phone for work in the bedroom.

The teenager put a pillow over her sister's head to quiet her down, and when she returned to the room, her sister was unresponsive, according to the Altamonte Springs Police Department.

Police officers were called to the hotel, and the toddler was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Officer Michelle Montalvo from Altamonte Springs police said the situation was tragic and urged struggling families to ask for help.

"It's very tragic, it's a 3-year-old, a very young, young child. Sixteen-year-old is also young. A mother loses both daughters in one night because the 16-year-old was arrested that night," Montalvo said.

"If you feel frustrated, reach out to your resources, reach out to your family members, reach out to your village to prevent something as tragic as what happened this weekend."

The teenager appeared in court earlier this week, where a judge ruled that there was probable cause for arrest and ordered for her to be held in a juvenile detention facility until her next appearance on August 8.

- Additional reporting, NZ Herald