HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — Prosecutors and the Hernando County Sheriff's Office held a joint news conference to announce that a 16-year-old arrested for the alleged murder of a teenage girl in Hernando County will be charged as an adult.
A grand jury indicted the 16-year-old suspect, who is being charged as an adult with first-degree murder.
The death investigation began after the body of a teenage girl was found near a Hernando County nature preserve on March 28.
Authorities said they interviewed two dozen people in 24 hours and used social media to track down the suspect and make the arrest.
The sheriff’s office said the suspect and victim knew each other, later confirming the two were in a relationship.
State Attorney Bill Gladson warned parents and children about the dangers of teen dating violence.
There is no official court date yet.
Pasco County woman trying to rebuild mobile home after hurricanes
"I cried, of course, because I've worked very hard getting it nice, which has been difficult for me since I lost my husband and being alone,” Kelly Welty said.
Welty's mobile home lost its roof during Hurricane Milton. She said it was the only one in the Buena Vista community to get totaled by a tornado.
