A 16 year-old boy has been charged as an a adult for the murder of a 16 year-old girl, in what appears to be motivated by her declining to attend the prom with him as her date, as reported by CNN and other media outlets.
The two students, C.P. and M.S., were attending Jonathan Law High School in Connecticut when C.P. stabbed M.S. to death in one of the school's stairwells. M.S. suffered with slashes to her neck, chest and face.
C.P. was taken into custody following the killing, his clothing and hands were bloodied according to the school police officer. C.P. told the officer, "I did it, just arrest me."
C.P. is currently being held at a medical facility, under emergency psychiatric commitment, and on a $3 million bail.
Richard Meehan Jr., C.P.'s attorney, said that his client has been advised of his rights, and the fact that it has been decided that he will be charged as an adult. If convicted, C.P. can expect to be behind bars between 25 to 60 years.
According to Meehan, C.P. "is in need of continued psychiatric care and medication and should be housed in an age-appropriate correctional center when he is released from the emergency commitment."
C.P.'s family released a statement that read, "To the (S.) family, our deepest sympathies. Please know that you are now, and forever, in our hearts, our thoughts and our prayers. We join with the entire Milford community to celebrate the life and mourn the loss of this most vibrant and exceptional young woman. To our extended family, friends and neighbors and all who have reached out to us in our darkest hour with warmth, kindness, understanding and compassion, you cannot know how much it has meant to us. Thank you."
At approximately 7 a.m. on Friday April 25 a witness saw C.P. on top of M.S. in the stairwell and was unsuccessful in pulling him off of her. Another witness saw C.P. get rid of the bloodied knife in a school corridor.
Milford Police Chief K.M. said that staff at the school and EMTs performed "life-saving measures" without results. M.S. was pronounced dead at Bridgeport Hospital less than 45 minutes after the attack.
The state medical examiner's office determined that the death was a homicide as M.S. died after suffering "stab wounds to the trunk and neck."
The prom, scheduled to be held on the night of the killing, was summarily postponed. Instead students were sent home, counseling was offered and, later that day, her friends and fellow classmates released violet-colored balloons –M.S.'s favorite color – into the sky.
E.K., one of M.S.'s cousins, said "(M.S.) should be celebrating at her prom this evening, with her friends and classmates. Instead, we are mourning her death, and we are trying as a community to understand this senseless loss of life."
If you are a minor being charged as an adult in a crime, no matter what the crime is, contact a criminal defense attorney to help you. Only an attorney experienced in this area of the law can defend you properly.
