Girl, 16, Killed Over Sweet

Aug 06, 2023

Naima Liggon was fatally stabbed by another 16-year-old girl outside the fast food restaurant in Washington, D.C., authorities said

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A 16-year-old girl has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of another 16-year-old female outside of a McDonald’s in Washington, D.C., in what authorities said was a dispute over sweet-and-sour sauce.

In a press release, Metro Police said that authorities early Sunday morning responded to a report of a juvenile at a hospital who was being treated for stab wounds. The teen, later identified as Naima Liggon of Waldorf, Maryland, succumbed to her injuries, police said.

Multiple outlets — including The Washington Post, NBC Washington and WTOP — reported on the incident. According to police, the fatal stabbing occurred outside of a McDonald’s in the 1900 block of 14th Street, Northwest. Liggon was taken to the hospital in a privately-owned vehicle.

Metro Police also announced the arrest of a 16-year-old female, also of Waldorf. She was charged with second-degree murder while armed. Authorities said that a knife was found in the possession of the suspect when she was arrested.

At a D.C. Superior Court hearing Monday, Detective Brendan Jasper testified that the fatal stabbing of Liggon originated from a dispute over “sweet-and-sour sauce” among three girls outside of the restaurant, per The Washington Post. Jasper added in his testimony that Liggon and another girl began assaulting the 16-year-old girl — who, based on surveillance footage, didn’t appear to fight back at first.

As Liggon and the other girl were about to get into a vehicle, Jasper claimed, the 16-year-old girl approached Liggon with a 7.5-inch pocketknife, stabbing her in the abdomen and chest, The Washington Post reported.

Prosecutors said that the 16-year-old suspect was located a block away, NBC Washington reported.

Per WTOP, as discussed at the court hearing, Liggon and the suspect were part of a group who drove to a party at 15th Street Northwest in D.C. from Oxon Hill, Maryland. Following the party, the teens went to the McDonald’s, according to authorities.

An attorney representing the suspect said that their client acted in self-defense, adding that the suspect had no prior criminal history, per WTOP's report,

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D.C. Superior Court Judge Sherri Beatty-Arthur called for the juvenile suspect to be held until a new hearing on Friday, The Washington Post reported. The judge said: “At the end of the day, someone is dead over a dispute over sauce.”

Joy Liggon, the mother of Naima Liggon, called the incident “senseless,” telling WTOP: “I can’t understand how any type of a fight, whether it’s over sweet-and-sour sauce or any other topic, could result in a murder.”

She added: “Naima was beautiful, smart … she was funny, unique. She loves life.”

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Liggon was a student at Thomas Stone High School in Waldorf. In a statement sent to the school community, per Fox 5, principal Shanif Pearl wrote in part: “My thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends, loved ones and all who knew her…This is not the news a principal ever wants to share, let alone the day before we start a new school year. I ask that you please keep Naima’s family, friends, loved ones and our school community in your thoughts and prayers.”

PEOPLE reached out to the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia Tuesday for additional comment on the case.