CORPUS CHRISTI -
It's a crime so horrific that it's difficult to imagine--when a person lashes out and kills their own mother or father.

As obscure as it may sound, it's a crime that has happened here in the Coastal Bend.

In 2014, 18-year-old Kevin Davis confessed to killing his mother with a hammer, and then sexually assaulting her corpse.

Earlier this month, 15-year-old Holden Clark was accused of killing his mother and stuffing her body in a trash can.

Doctor Burton Kittay has worked as a psychologist in Texas and California for more than a decade; he explained that there's no simple explanation as to why people--especially kids--kill.

"One can take a kernel of truth and build it into a story that is absolutely horrific, bizarre," Kittay said.

Kittay noted that mental illness, a strained or absent relationship with a parent, and outside influences like violence in popular culture can all contribute to a child lashing out in a violent manner.But what about those whose violent behavior is more difficult to explain?

Is there such a thing as a "bad apple"--someone who was morally depraved from the time they were born?

Kittay believes so.

"Some of the most wonderful parents I had ever met did everything they could for (their) child, and nothing was working."

Thomas Adams, a professor at Del Mar College, has worked as a police lieutenant and been involved in the field of criminal justice for more than sixty years. It is his belief that children can be more inclined to commit murder than adults.

"A child is more likely to strike out and kill somebody, because they have not yet learned to appreciate life," Adams said.

An adult, Adams said, has likely been told throughout his or her lifetime that taking someone's life is wrong and unacceptable behavior.

Adams and Kittay both noted that any number of factors could contribute to a child lashing out, and that parents' involvement in their children's lives is paramount to encouraging healthy behavior.

Corpus Christi Police Lieutenant Patrick McMenamy works in the family violence unit.

McMenamy said that knowing who your kids associate with is an important step in keeping them from making poor choices.

"Don't ignore the signs," McMenamy said. "Whether (you) put your child in counseling...get more active in your child's life...(get) more active in their school...(or) keep your child busy. There's all kinds of different things you can do."