2 boys charged with voluntary manslaughter in fatal attack on classmate at Moreno Valley Middle School
10/03/2019 6:22 am PDT
By Tracy Bloom, KTLA
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KTLA) -- Charges have been upgraded against two teens accused in the brutal, caught-on-video attack of a 13-year-old classmate at a Moreno Valley middle school following the student's death, prosecutors said Wednesday.
The two 13-year-old boys, who have not been identified due to their ages, have each been charged with a count of voluntary manslaughter, according to John Hall, a spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
The charges are on top of counts of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injured.
The initial juvenile petitions were filed on Sept. 18, prior to the teen's death. Prosecutors added the manslaughter charge on Sept. 30, according to Hall.
One of the defendants was due in court Wednesday morning, while the other is scheduled to appear on Oct. 15, Hall said.
Both students were arrested after allegedly assaulting the victim, identified only as 13-year-old Diego, on the campus of Landmark Middle School on Sept. 16, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
Cellphone video showed the victim was struck in the face by one boy before he was sucker punched to the side of his head by another. The second hit caused him to fall and violently hit his head against a nearby pillar, according to the footage.
