Caroline Young

Case information

Caroline Young was a California grandmother. She was Latino and was born 11/23/1943. She was convicted of murdering her grandchildren, including a Latino girl aged 4 and a Latino boy aged 6, at her apartment in Hayward (Alameda County) on Jun 18, 1993.

The offence

On the day her grandchildren were killed, Young cut the boy’s throat, killing him, and then slashed his sister, Dai-Zshia Torres, 4, to death. The boy was Darin Torres, described as 6 years old, and he was also identified as Darrin Barrington-Torres, 6-year-old.

Young wrote the children a note on the day she killed them. In part, the note said:

"I am a very angry and vengeful person. An unhappy spirit now on a rampage to get even with all that hurt me and mine."

A Hayward grandmother was convicted of two counts of murder with special circumstances for stabbing her two grandchildren to death. Jurors convicted her of first-degree murder for the death of 6-year-old Darrin Barrington-Torres and second-degree murder for the death of 4-year-old Dai-Zshia Torres. Both children were stabbed to death at Young's apartment in Hayward on June 18, 1993.

Background

Young learned she had lost a custody battle with the children’s father. Prosecutor Ken Burr said Young had custody of the children because their mother was involved in drugs and prostitution.

Young had received custody of her daughter’s children after she was deemed to be unfit. It was stated that she was sent jail for drugs and prostitution. When the father of the children learned of their existence after being informed that he owed $12,000 in back child support, he petitioned the courts for custody of the children and received it.

On the day that the father arrived in the Bay Area to pick up his 6-year-old son, Young killed the children.

Investigation

Before the incident, Young told a friend:

"I will kill the kids and take them with me to hell." It was also stated that Young displayed little emotion when the verdicts were read following a day and a half of deliberation by an Alameda County Superior Court jury.

Trial

Caroline Young was convicted in 1993 of murdering her two grandchildren.

Jurors deliberated under three hours before deciding that Young should receive the death penalty.

A special circumstances finding meant Young could be sentenced to death. Prosecutor Ken Burr described the killings as selfish and mean-spirited reasons after learning she would be losing custody of Darrin to his father.

Young’s lawyers admitted that Young killed the children, but said she should only be convicted of second-degree murder because the killings were not premeditated.

The second phase of the trial began with defense attorneys arguing that Young should be found not guilty by reason of insanity.

At sentencing, the special circumstances charges meant Young could be sentenced to death.

Sentencing

Young was sentenced to death on Oct 27, 1995.

Outcome

On September 6, 2005, Young died of kidney failure at Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, California.

Other details

Young was described as a 51-year-old grandmother. The case materials referenced an Alameda County Superior Court jury and a Contra Costa County—Oakland context. A verdict announcement described her conviction of two counts of murder with special circumstances for stabbing her two grandchildren to death.