Скачать или смотреть Ripley County teen suspected in deaths of siblings

OSGOOD, Ind. (WKRC) – A 14-year-old teen from Osgood, Ind. has been named as a suspect in the deaths of two children in 2017.

Ripley County Prosecutor Richard Hertel announced that an Affidavit for Probable Cause has been filed against Nickalas Kedrowitz on two counts of murder for the deaths of two-year-old Desiree McCartney and 11-month-old Nathaniel Ritz.

On May 1, 2017, Christina McCartney, Desiree’s mother, called 911 with a report of an unresponsive two-year-old. According to the affidavit, Desiree was transported to Margaret Mary Community Hospital in Batesville, Ind. before being taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati where she died a few days later.

About a month-and-a-half later, at 11:12 p.m. on July 20, 2017, Christina McCartney called 911 again, this time for an unresponsive 11-month-old, identified as Nathaniel Ritz. Nathaniel has no blood relation to Nickalas. Nathaniel was also transported to Margaret Mary Community Hospital and was pronounced dead at approximately 12:12 a.m.

In addition to the death of the two children, the affidavit claims that Nickalas mutilated a cat to the point of almost killing it. The mutilation occurred at the home of Christina McCartney’s uncle and aunt, Bob and Candice Barker. Candice described Nickalas as “having issues with his temper and was self-centered,” according to the affidavit. On Sept. 4, 2017, Candice said that Nickalas claimed that he had taken the kitten into the basement. While in the basement of the Barker’s residence, the kitten had scratched him, he got mad and squeezed it hard.

Candice found the kitten with blood all over and its insides were hanging out of it, in addition to a puncture-like wound on its head. Another kitten was also found to have a puncture wound.

According to Hertel, Nickalas was detained on Aug. 28 on a court order. On Sept. 6, the Prosecutor’s office filed the Affidavit for Probable Cause against Kedrowitz on the two counts of murder.

On Monday, a hearing was held where the affidavit was read to the suspect and the court ordered a competency evaluation, which will be conducted by two medical professionals. Once Nickalas is found competent to stand trial, the Prosecutor’s office will seek to waive the case to adult court.