Leila Fowler’s brother — the 12-year-old arrested and charged with her bizarre murder last month in Calaveras County, California — has not been publicly identified by police due to his young age.
But weeks after the strange and brutal killing, the mother of the 12-year-old arrested spoke just ahead of her son’s arrest — and expressed certainty that the boy could not have hurt his sister.
Fowler’s mother Priscilla Rodriquez spoke Friday as suspicion toward the boy mounted — describing her son as “protective” of Leila and adding that she believed he “could never hurt his sister.”
Rodriquez added, “I’ve never seen him be mean to her.”
The following day, Calaveras County Sheriff Gary Kuntz disclosed at a press conference that the 12-year-old arrested would be charged with homicide.
Police have given scant details about Fowler’s murder as well as their conclusion that the tween boy was responsible for the killing — one the child attributed to a home intruder.
Kuntz said:
“During the past 15 days, we have conducted an expansive investigation … These types of cases require a considerable amount of time. It was our commitment to make sure that we did as thorough a job as possible.”
The sheriff said after confirming the 12-year-old arrested would face the weighty charges that details would “come out eventually.”
Not long after Leila’s death, her mother Krystal Walters told fellow community residents that Leila’s family was eternally grateful for the outpouring of support and concern after her daughter’s shocking death.
Walters said:
“I just want to thank the entire community and all of our family and friends for all the overwhelming amount of support you’ve given our family … It will never be forgotten. Thank you.”
After the 12-year-old arrested was charged, many residents expressed an initial feeling that the tween’s tale of a murderous intruder “didn’t make sense.”