Girl, 12, found dead with fractured skull In Aishalton backyard.

-cousin,17, in custody

by Michael Jordan

Police have detained a 17-year-old boy in connection with the death of his 12-year-old cousin, Amanda Smith, whose body, with fractured skull, was found in her parents’ backyard at Aishalton, Region Nine.

Amanda’s 14-year-old brother found her body at around 8.45 p.m. on Saturday, April 22, after realising she was missing and seeing her now-detained cousin fleeing the scene.

But the suspect was only arrested on Thursday, May 4.

The father of the detained youth told Big Smith News Watch that a postmortem, conducted on Tuesday, May 2, revealed that Amanda had suffered a fractured skull.

But the man said that his son is claiming that the child’s death was accidental, and that he ran away because he was afraid.

In his statement, the youth reportedly said that he was at the victim’s home on April 22, along with Amanda’s 14-year-old brother and their other siblings aged nine, seven and four. At the time, the eldest sibling was in the washroom.

Big Smith News Watch understands that the suspect alleged that Amanda was in the kitchen when she stumbled over one of his feet and struck her head on the door. He claims that she then fell on the concrete floor, where she lay motionless.

He allegedly stated that he became afraid and placed Amanda’s body in the backyard, some 15 feet from the house.

Amanda’s brother allegedly emerged from the washroom and realised that his sister was missing. He called out for his sister and reportedly then saw the 17-year-old cousin fleeing from the backyard. He then went into Athe yard and found the body.

The brother reportedly informed the police and the suspect was eventually arrested on Tuesday, May 4.

Amanda Smith was laid to rest on Wednesday. May 3.