Man faces death penalty after pleading guilty to killing 10-year-old in salon

A Florida man is facing the death penalty after pleading guilty to the murder of a 10-year-old boy during a robbery at a nail salon in Miami, United States.

Anthawn Ragan, 31, admitted in court on Thursday to 14 felony charges, including first-degree murder, robbery and assault, over the 2013 killing of Aaron Vu.

Prosecutors said the crime occurred when Ragan and an accomplice stormed a nail salon owned by the boy’s father, Hai Vu, in Biscayne Gardens, north Miami. During the robbery, both the child and his father were shot. Aaron Vu later died in hospital, while his father survived.

Surveillance footage tendered in court showed the suspects entering the salon armed and demanding money from staff and customers. Authorities said they made away with just over $300 before Ragan fired shots as they fled the scene.

Ragan also pleaded guilty to attempted murder for shooting the boy’s father. He waived his right to a jury trial, leaving his fate to be decided by the presiding judge, Marisa Tinkler Mendez.

The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office has not withdrawn the death penalty option, meaning Ragan could face capital punishment if convicted at sentencing.

Last year, Ragan was sentenced to life imprisonment for a separate murder committed weeks before the nail salon attack. Prosecutors said the killing of Aaron Vu was part of a violent crime spree carried out by the defendant in November 2013.

At the time of the incident, police described the killing as “senseless,” noting that the child was simply present at his father’s workplace when the crime occurred.

Ragan has remained in custody since his arrest in 2013 and has a long criminal record, including multiple armed robbery and murder charges.