Australian, 14, charged with attempted ‘brownie’ murder

SYDNEY – A 14-year-old Australian girl was Monday charged with attempted murder after she allegedly poisoned two other children, reportedly with chocolate brownies tainted with a household substance.

Queensland state police said the girl had been charged after allegedly giving two boys, aged 12 and 13, food poisoned with a substance “generally found in the home” in the Brisbane suburb of Richlands on Sunday.

“Police will allege the girl attempted to poison two other children,” they said in a statement.

“She has been charged with one count each of attempted murder and administer poison with attempt to harm as well as two counts of acts intended to maim.”

The police would not confirm a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that the girl had given the two boys tainted brownies.

The boys, who police said are unrelated to the girl, are believed to have not consumed enough of the chemical to become dangerously ill, the ABC said.