RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A teenager charged with killing an 8-year-old Richmond boy will be tried as an adult.
Sixteen-year-old Mairese J. Washington also is accused of assaulting the boy’s 12-year-old sister. He is charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and strangulation.
Media outlets report that Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Judge Ashley K. Tunner on Monday certified the charges to circuit court.
Tunner ruled that evidence didn’t show premeditation, which is required for a first-degree murder charge.
Police say the boy was killed May 1 while protecting his sister. He suffered severe head trauma. Details of the attack haven’t been released.
The Associated Press does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault and is not naming the boy, his sister or their relatives.
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