A family court has decided to send three teens back to prosecutors over the killing of a 13-year-old boy in February.
The trio could be tried as adults depending on the prosecutors' next move, sources at the Yokohama District Public Prosecutor's Office said Tuesday.
The decision on Tuesday by the Yokohama Family Court involves an 18-year-old boy held on suspicion of killing Ryota Uemura. The other two suspects, aged 18 and 17, are being held for allegedly inflicting injuries causing death.
The three were arrested in February on suspicion of fatally stabbing the junior high school student on the bank of the Tama River in Kawasaki on Feb. 20. Prosecutors sent the three to the family court on March 19.
In closed-door juvenile trial sessions at the court, the 18-year-old boy who is considered the ring leader admitted to killing Uemura, while the two others maintained their innocence, according to the sources.
After questioning all three, the court decided each one deserves criminal penalties, the sources said.
Once they are sent back to prosecutors, a decision will be made within 10 days on whether to indict them. If indicted, they will be tried as adults.
During the police investigation, the boy deemed the ring leader admitted to killing Uemura with a box cutter and another boy said he stabbed him at the leader's direction, according to the police.