HispanicBusiness

Prosecutors in California are charging a 14-year-old suspect in the killing of a 4-year-old boy as an adult.

Authorities in Fresno County say Raul Renato Castro, 14, killed 4-year-old Alex Christopher Mercado of Mendota after luring him into his home.

The body of the pre-school-aged child was found in a washing-machine dryer in the home, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Authorities say the 4-year-old died of drowning before being placed in the dryer, but did not release more details.

District Attorney Elizabeth A. Egan on Tuesday announced her decision to try Castro as an adult.

In addition to being charged with first-degree murder, Castro is facing four special allegations: that the slaying was committed along with child molestation, sodomy, kidnapping and in order to silence a witness. The 14-year-old also faces separate felony charges of kidnapping, sodomy and child molestation.

In 1995, California reduced from 16 to 14 the age at which minors can be charged as adults for violent crimes such as murder, rape and armed robbery.

In a majority of states, children of any age are prosecuted in adult court if they are accused of murder. They are sent back to juvenile court only if it is determined they are too young to be charged as adults.

Still, many juvenile-court experts believe young teens are too young from a developmental standpoint to truly comprehend the consequences of their actions, and therefore should not be tried as adults.