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Prosecutors charging four children with murder in fatal Providence attack
Medical examiners say the man died of blunt force trauma sustained in the group beating.
Prosecutors are charging four children between 11 and 12 years old with murder and conspiracy to commit felony assault in the Jan. 19 attack that eventually killed a 51-year-old man on Manton Avenue in Providence.
According to a statement from the Providence Police Department, two of the children were arraigned in Family Court on Tuesday. Prosecutors will arraign the two other youths later this week.
At around 7:23 p.m. on Monday, patrol officers responded to the area of 249 Manton Ave. for a report of an assault, according to the police department.
Witnesses told the police that they saw several young people assault a man, “knocking him to the ground and repeatedly kicking and punching him before fleeing the area.”
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Officers found the man, later identified as Rony Alonso, and transported him to Rhode Island Hospital. But throughout the week, detectives learned that his condition was deteriorating, and on Friday, police announced that he had died from his injuries.
Detectives and the Youth Services Bureau said they conducted an extensive investigation, including a video canvas of the surrounding areas.
As a result, police identified the four children and took them into custody, initially charging them with felony assault and conspiracy.
The Office of the Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma. Based on these findings, prosecutors upgraded the charges.
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