Teen who allegedly murdered a toddler to appear in court

Last Update: 6/25 10:57 am

Oneida County (WSYR-TV) - An Oneida County 13-year-old accused of killing a toddler he was babysitting is due in court today.

Alec Champagne, an eighth-grader in the Whitesboro School District, has been charged with murdering a 2-year-old at a Yorkville home. Police say the boy slammed the toddler's head against a refrigerator door and dresser. They also say he sexually assaulted the child but there is no law that allows them to charge someone so young with sexual abuse.

Champagne is currently being tried as a juvenile. If convicted, he could face anywhere from five years to life in prison.

Teenage babysitter charged with murder of toddler
June 21

Yorkville, Oneida Co. (WSYR-TV/AP) - Police say a teenager is responsible for the death of a toddler, and have charged him with murder in the second degree. They also say the teenager sexually assaulted the toddler.

The police say Alec Champagne, an eighth grader in the Whitesboro School District, was baby-sitting the 2-year-old female victim and her 1 1/2-year-old sister in their home when he beat the victim and struck her in the head repeatedly. Police said the teenager's assault included hitting the girl's head against a refrigerator and also a dresser drawer. He is also accused of striking the child in the face with his hand.

They also say Champagne sexually assaulted her. Because the charge of sexual assault does not exist for a suspect so young, the police decided murder in the second degree was the most appropriate charge.

The child was discovered unresponsive by her mother, and was pronounced dead a short time later.

Champagne was arraigned in the Town of Floyd Court on the murder charge and will be remanded to a secure facility under the control of the State Office of Children and Family Services.

Police say evidence indicates the child was alive at 1:00 a.m. when the mother arrived home and checked on her. The autopsy was performed at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital on Sunday determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma.

Update: 2-year-old died from blow to head
June 20

Yorkville (WSYR-TV) The two year old who police found dead in her Yorkville home on Saturday morning died from blunt force trauma to the back of her head, according to an Oneida County coroner.

Police say the toddler’s babysitter was watching the child since Friday night at the home on Ney Avenue. When the mother arrived home on Saturday morning, police say the child was alert and talking.

But moments after the mother got home, police received a call that the child was not breathing. When police arrived, the child was dead.

From: http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story/Teen-who-allegedly-murdered-a-toddler-to-appear/f0v8BtZ_aUmdzdjfWTFVwQ.cspx?rss=112