A 14-year-old Charles City boy is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual abuse in the death of a three-year-old girl. Charles City Police Chief Mike Wendel held a press conference Monday afternoon to announce Edgar Concepcion Junior was being charged in the death of Krystal Banes.
Chief Wendel says says an autopsy by the state medical examiner’s office shows Banes died of asphyxia and the manner of death was ruled as a homicide. Police say someone in the Concepcion family was babysitting Banes and called 911 on Friday to say the girl was unresponsive. The victim and suspect are reportedly cousins.
Wendel says the next step in the process is to determine whether or not Concepcion will be tried as an adult or a juvenile. He says a hearing will be held on July 29th to determine whether or not Concepcion will stand trial as an adult.
B-J Franklin is the director of the Horizon Survival Program, which works with families of homicide victims in eastern Iowa. Franklin spoke on behalf of the Banes family and asked the media and the public to keep its distance and recognize the family is dealing with an "incredibly difficult situation."
Authorities say the 14-year-old had just completed eighth grade at Charles City Middle School where he was an honor roll student and an athlete.