Two teenage brothers are charged with murdering a New Jersey girl who had been missing.
The body of 12-year-old Autumn Pasquale was found late Monday night in a home's recycling container in the quiet suburban Philadelphia community of Clayton.
The Gloucester County Prosecutor's office said Tuesday afternoon that 15-year-old and 17-year-old brothers were facing murder charges.
The boys' mother played a part in cracking the case involving Autumn Pasquale, prosecutor Sean Dalton said at a news conference. She came forward with information about a posting on a son's Facebook account, leading police to the boys, Dalton said.
The girl's uncle, Paul Spadofora, held a news conference to thank the community for helping search for Autumn after news of her discovery was confirmed.
Officials said that the autopsy showed that Pasquale had injuries consistent with strangulation.
Police discovered a bicycle and her belongings in the boys' house on Tuesday. Dalton says the girl was lured into the boys' house and was killed.
Pasquale was last seen riding her white BMX bicycle about 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Relatives said they believed she was going to see a friend and became concerned when she missed curfew.
Her family reported her missing at 9:30 p.m. that day. A massive search by hundreds of law enforcement agencies and volunteers was carried out in hopes of finding her alive.
The New Jersey State Police say that the body was found in a home recycling bin about seven blocks from her home. The body was just blocks from Borough Hall, where thousands of people gathered earlier Monday evening for a candlelight vigil.
The girl's uncle, Paul Spadofora, gathered with other relatives at the news conference Tuesday to thank the community for its help in the search.
"There's evil everywhere, even in the small town of Clayton," Spadofora said.
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