11-year-old boy in Colorado charged with murdering 5-year-old brother – National
He was charged on Monday with first-degree murder and an aggravated juvenile offender sentence enhancer, the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office confirmed, days after being arrested.
Police were called to a home in the 5200 block of South Jerico Street in Centennial at around 5:30 p.m. on March 11.
The juvenile suspect was taken into custody by deputies with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, according to an X post from the sheriff, and transported to the Marvin W. Foote Youth Services Center.
Because both the victim and the suspect are minors, investigators have not shared details about events leading up to the child’s death or the identities of those involved.
Authorities did not specify how the child was killed, or what led up to the incident.
The children’s neighbours told CBS News their kids played with the siblings days before the five-year-old’s death.
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The victim was a kindergarten student at Timberline Elementary School in Denver, according to the U.S. outlet.
In a statement on X, the Arapahoe sheriff, Tyler Brown, wrote, “Our hearts go out to the family of these two young boys and to everyone in our community who is grieving this loss.”
“Cases involving the homicide of children are among the most difficult our deputies and investigators face. Our team is fully committed to a thorough investigation, and we will continue working tirelessly to determine exactly what happened,” he continued.
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“We know tragedies like this impact not only the family, but also classmates, teachers, and neighbors throughout the community. We appreciate the support and patience of the public as our investigators work to gather the facts and pursue justice in this case.”
ABC News legal analyst Brian Buckmire said it was “extremely unusual” for a child to receive a first-degree murder charge.
Typically, “someone who is 11 years old doesn’t have the mens rea, or the mental capacity, to commit this crime,” he said. “Oftentimes we have to go through a hearing to see whether or not an 11-year-old understands the concept of taking an oath.”
The cause of death remains under investigation, police said.
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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