EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — A 12-year-old boy accused of starting a house fire that killed two children in Arlington has pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit second-degree manslaughter.
The boy appeared Friday in Snohomish County Superior Court.
According to court documents, he initially told detectives the fire was caused by sparks from an electrical outlet. He later said he was playing with a lighter and accidentally set fire to bed sheets he was using as a fort.
The Nov. 22, 2008 fire killed 10-year-old Tyler Emory and 11-year-old Kyler Williams.
Deputy Prosecutor John Stansell says the boy faces up to a year in juvenile detention if he pleads guilty. If the boy wants to go to trial, Stansell says he’ll file more serious charges.
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(Information from The Daily Herald, KIRO-TV)
