Teens Charged in Death of NY Girl, 5

Isabella was last seen with 16-year-old neighbor
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 28, 2012 12:03 AM CDT
Teens Charged in Death of NY Girl, 5
John Freeman, 16, is being held in the murder of 5-year-old Isabella Tenant.   (YouTube)

Two teenage boys have been arrested in the death of a 5-year-old Niagara Falls girl whose body was found in a garbage can. Isabella Tenant disappeared from her great-grandmother's home, where she was staying overnight. She was last seen alive with a 16-year-old neighbor and family friend, John Freeman, according to authorities. Freeman's pal Tyler Best, 18, led police to the little girl's body, said police. Freeman has been charged as an adult with murder, and Best for tampering with evidence, reports AP.

Freeman reportedly killed Isabella with his bare hands, and family members said he has confessed to the crime, reports WIVB-TV.There was no apparent sign of sexual assault, but an autopsy is planned for today. "It's a terrible crime," said the chief detective in the case. "It tears at your heart." Isabella—known as Bella—was described by a cousin as a high-energy charmer who "loved everyone" and "had the biggest heart in the world." It "shouldn't have ended like this, it shouldn't have happened like this," he added. (More Niagara Falls, NY stories.)

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