Saturday, Nov. 16 was the last time an 18-year-old Ohio girl’s family ever saw her. Her family reported her missing, and on the night of Nov. 18, her body was found close to an athletic field at a high school close to where she lived. A 17-year-old boy is facing felony charges in connection with her death. Prosecutors are attempting to have him tried as an adult, and a hearing on the request was scheduled at last report.
The body of the girl reportedly had two knife wounds: a puncture wound in her neck and a slice on her arm. Police were somehow led to the teen they arrested, and authorities say he admitted to them that he killed the young woman. However, the teen’s father says his son did not mean to the kill the girl and that it was a horrific accident.
According to reports, the two Ohio teens were allegedly smoking marijuana on the night the girl disappeared. At some point, the young man pulled out a 13-inch knife and attempted to throw it into a nearby tree. Unfortunately, he missed and hit the victim.
The girl’s death apparently remains under investigation. Detectives were going to review surveillance tapes from the school, but they may not be of much help. An autopsy still needed to be performed as well.
Authorities have charged the teen with murder but say the felony charges could be modified based upon the official autopsy report. As for the murder charge, prosecutors will have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the teen intended to kill the victim in order to secure a conviction on that charge. One thing is certain. The teenager faces a difficult road with perilous consequences should any conviction be obtained — whether he is tried as an adult or a juvenile. Understandably, every reasonable effort must be made to protect the young man’s legal rights as he fights the accusations made against him.
Source: abc6onyourside.com, Alleged Murderer of Teen Appears in Court, No author, Nov. 19, 2013
