with intent to kill after deliberation and first-degree murder of a child under the age of 12 by someone in a position of trust in connection with the death of 10-year-old .
Following a hearing in juvenile court Wednesday, Adams County District Attorney Dave Young said he will seek to prosecute the boy as an adult.
Young did not name the boy because he is a juvenile, but Adams County District Judge Priscilla Loew identified him as the son of Kiaya’s father’s girlfriend when she cleared the courtroom of everyone but family.
Courtesy Thornton Police Department
Kiaya Campbell
Steve Nehf,The Denver Post
Police and investigators from Thornton and Adams County comb the Riverdale Park area where a young girl's body was found Friday, June 9, 2017. Ten-year-old Kiaya Campbell went missing during a rainstorm Wednesday night and searches took place all day Thursday before the body was discovered in the early evening.
Steve Nehf,The Denver Post
Police and investigators from Thornton and Adams County comb the Riverdale Park area where a young girl's body was found Friday, June 9, 2017. Ten-year-old Kiaya Campbell went missing during a rainstorm Wednesday night and searches took place all day Thursday before the body was discovered in the early evening.
Steve Nehf,The Denver Post
Police and investigators from Thornton and Adams County comb the Riverdale Park area where a young girl's body was found Friday, June 9, 2017. Ten-year-old Kiaya Campbell went missing during a rainstorm Wednesday night and searches took place all day Thursday before the body was discovered in the early evening.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
A Thornton police cruiser follows a member of the Jefferson County K-9 unit as they look for signs of missing 10-year-old Kiaya Campbell on June 8, 2017 in Thornton. Campbell had been missing since late Wednesday night. Around 5:30 p.m. Thursday police called off the search as a body of a young girl had been found in the Riverdale Park neighborhood at Monoco Way and Jasmine Court.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
An FBI agent questions vehicles entering the neighborhood of missing 10-year-old Kiaya Campbell on June 8, 2017 in Thornton. Campbell had been missing since late Wednesday night. Around 5:30 p.m. Thursday police called off the search as a body of a young girl had been found in the Riverdale Park neighborhood at Monoco Way and Jasmine Court.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Thornton police officers keep guard over the scene of where the body of a young girl has been found on June 8, 2017 in Thornton. Kiaya Campbell, 10, had been missing since late Wednesday night. Around 5:30 p.m. Thursday police called off the search as a body of a young girl had been found in the Riverdale Park neighborhood at Monoco Way and Jasmine Court.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Alayah Maestas, 9 and her little sister Aleis, 7, joined in with hundreds of people at Skyview Elementary school to help in the search for missing 10-year-old Kiaya Campbell on June 8, 2017 in Thornton. Kiaya Campbell had been missing since late Wednesday night. Around 5:30 p.m. Thursday police called off the search as a body of a young girl had been found in the Riverdale Park neighborhood at Monoco Way and Jasmine Court.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Hundreds of people turned out at Skyview Elementary school to help in the search for missing 10-year-old Kiaya Campbell on June 8, 2017 in Thornton. Kiaya Campbell had been missing since late Wednesday night. Around 5:30 p.m. Thursday police called off the search as a body of a young girl had been found in the Riverdale Park neighborhood at Monoco Way and Jasmine Court.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Adams County sheriff deputies gather in the neighborhood of missing 10-year-old Kiaya Campbell on June 8, 2017 in Thornton. Campbell had been missing since late last night. Around 5:30 p.m. Thursday police called off the search as a body of a young girl had been found in the Riverdale Park neighborhood at Monoco Way and Jasmine Court.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Thornton police officers and FBI agents question vehicles entering the neighborhood of missing 10-year-old Kiaya Campbell on June 8, 2017 in Thornton. Campbell had been missing since late Wednesday night. Around 5:30 p.m. Thursday police called off the search as a body of a young girl had been found in the Riverdale Park neighborhood at Monoco Way and Jasmine Court.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Brooklyn Mitchell, 7 and her brother Ethan, 9 joined in with hundreds of people at Skyview Elementary school to help in the search for missing 10-year-old Kiaya Campbell on June 8, 2017 in Thornton. Kiaya Campbell had been missing since late Wednesday night. Around 5:30 p.m. Thursday police called off the search as a body of a young girl had been found in the Riverdale Park neighborhood at Monoco Way and Jasmine Court.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Thornton police officers keep guard over the scene of where the body of a young girl has been found on June 8, 2017 in Thornton. Kiaya Campbell, 10, had been missing since late Wednesday night. Around 5:30 p.m. Thursday police called off the search as a body of a young girl had been found in the Riverdale Park neighborhood at Monoco Way and Jasmine Court.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Two neighbors, who may have witnessed the body, are visibly shaken at the scene of where the body of a young girl has been found on June 8, 2017 in Thornton. Kiaya Campbell, 10, had been missing since late Wednesday night. Around 5:30 p.m. Thursday police called off the search as a body of a young girl had been found in the Riverdale Park neighborhood at Monoco Way and Jasmine Court.
After the brief hearing, Young said, “I’ve informed the court that I want it charged in adult court.”
A hearing on June 30 will determine whether the boy will be released on bond and whether he will be tried in adult court, Young said. A preliminary hearing is also scheduled at the same time.
Young declined to provide any details on his reasons for wanting to charge the teen as an adult.
Thornton detectives arrested the boy late Saturday night. He has been held in an Adams County juvenile detention facility.
while walking with the boy on a shopping trip from home in the 12400 block of Forest Drive where her father lived with his girlfriend and her two sons. Following an Amber Alert and an , her body was discovered the afternoon of the following day in a greenbelt area about 1½ miles from where her family reported she had disappeared.
The 15-year-old boy she was with told police that he ran and became separated from the girl when it began raining hard. Some neighbors have disputed that there was a rainstorm in the area that night.
Kiaya’s uncle, Thomas Campbell Jr., declined to comment about the suspect but said he was concerned about the welfare of the girl’s father, who had moved in with the suspect’s family a few months ago.
“I hope my brother doesn’t blame himself. It’s not his fault,” he said.
Thomas Campbell said Kiaya always smiled a lot.
“She was a nice little girl. She was real open,” Thomas Campbell said.
Kiaya attended Monarch Montessori in Denver. School officials have reached out to let staff, students and families know the school is working to determine how best to provide support for them as they cope with the girl’s death.
