CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Prosecutors have formally charged an 11-year-old Centennial boy in connection with the murder of his 5-year-old younger brother last week, the Office of the 18th Judicial District Attorney announced Tuesday.
The boy, whose name has not been released because he is a juvenile, was charged with first-degree murder and as an aggravated juvenile offender.
The 11-year-old was taken into custody after being identified as a suspect and remains detained.
On March 10 at around 5:30 p.m., Arapahoe County deputies responded to a home on S. Jericho Street near S. Jericho Way in Centennial, where they discovered that a 5-year-old boy had been killed.
Authorities have not released the cause of death or additional details about the ongoing investigation, leaving many questions unanswered.
Crime
5-year-old boy killed by 11-year-old brother in Centennial, deputies say
Shortly after deputies arrived, they identified the victim’s 11-year-old brother as the suspect and transported him that day to the Marvin W. Foote Youth Services Center.
The investigation continued the following day, with investigators gathering evidence at the home using drones and a K-9.
Reflecting on the ongoing nature and gravity of the case, Sheriff Tyler Brown called it “one of the most difficult” his team faces.
The victim, a kindergartner at Timberline Elementary, was recognized by the school community, where the district is providing mental health support for students and staff.
Neighbors said they were deeply affected and struggled to process the news.
"It's really hard to accept something like this," neighbor Judy Rowse said. "I've known this neighborhood for a long time, and yeah, it's very hard to hear this."
Despite the shock felt throughout the community, longtime resident Meher Noorulamin said she is not rushing to judgment — instead, she is reaching out to the boy's family with compassion.
"I think it's so easy to say, how did the parents not know? How did this happen? But without judgment, neighbor to neighbor, we're here for you," Noorulamin said.
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