12-Year-Old Boy Charged With Murder In Sister’s Stabbing

A 12-year-old boy is charged with second-degree murder in his 8-year-old sister’s stabbing death. Leila Fowler was stabbed to death in her California home on April 27. Authorities eventually arrested her unnamed brother for the crime.

The 12-year-old boy initially stated that his sister was stabbed by an intruder. Authorities received a call from a woman, identifying herself as the mother of both children. She stated that she was not home but was informed that an intruder scared her children.

As reported by CBS News, the women indicated that both children were frightened but unharmed. When authorities arrived, they found Leila unresponsive. She was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

Leila’s brother told authorities that she was stabbed and killed by an intruder. The man was described as 6-foot-tall, muscular, and white or Hispanic. Officials initiated a manhunt for the intruder, including interviews with registered sex offenders in the neighborhood.

As reported by CNN, authorities spent “over 2000 hours” investigating the crime. Two weeks later Leila’s brother was arrested in connection with his sister’s death.

The 12-year-old boy is now charged with second-degree murder for his sister’s death. The charge includes a specification for the use of a deadly weapon.

Defense attorneys, Mark Reichel and Steve Plesser, met with the boy in the detention facility and state that his is “as well as can be expected.”

As reported by ABC News, the family has stated that they are in full support of the boy as they have not seen “proper evidence” proving that he committed the crime. The boy’s defense team has not had an opportunity to review the evidence.

Attorney Reichel admits that his client’s story may have changed, but insists that he is innocent:

“He’s 12. The odds are … that he lied and gives a macho story that he chased away the attacker … How does a 12-year-old commit the perfect crime?”

The 12-year-old boy has been charged with murder for his sister’s death, but authorities have not discussed what led them to his arrest. The evidence is being closely guarded and the details are scarce.