An 11-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his 5-year-old brother at a home in Centennial, Colorado.
The case is being investigated as a homicide, though the cause of death has not yet been publicly released. The older child was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Marvin W. Foote Youth Services Center in Centennial while the investigation continues.
“Our hearts go out to the family of these two young boys and to everyone in our community who is grieving this loss,” Arapahoe County Sheriff Tyler Brown said in a statement posted by the department. “Cases involving the homicide of children are among the most difficult our deputies and investigators face.”
Brown added that investigators remain committed to determining what occurred and are continuing to gather evidence in the case.
“Our team is fully committed to a thorough investigation, and we will continue working tirelessly to determine exactly what happened,” Brown said. “We know tragedies like this impact not only the family, but also classmates, teachers, and neighbors throughout the community.”
Authorities said everyone involved in the incident has been identified and that there is no ongoing threat to the public. Because both the victim and suspect are minors, officials said only limited details will be released while the investigation remains active.
The victim in the Centennial case was a kindergarten student at Timberline Elementary School. In a message sent to parents, Principal Mary Bowens confirmed the child’s death but said the student’s name would not be released due to the ongoing investigation.