Inset: Elias Reliford (Facebook). Background: Authorities at the Colorado home where 5-year-old Elias Reliford was allegedly murdered by his 11-year-old brother (KCNC/YouTube).
A mother and father in Colorado are facing a family's "worst nightmare" as their 11-year-old child is accused of murdering his 5-year-old "baby" brother who was always by his side, according to police and neighbors.
"He was always with him," a neighbor told local NBC affiliate KUSA, describing the victim Elias Reliford and his brother, who has not been identified, as "very playful and very nice."
The boys were known to knock on doors to ask for snacks and say hi, according to residents in the Centennial neighborhood where they lived. Elias was "always" by his brother's side, following and playing with him, according to neighbors.
"His older brother would never leave him alone," the neighbor told KUSA. "[The boys were] always wanting to interact."
The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office and 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office reported that Elias' brother was arrested on March 11 for killing the kindergartner and junior firefighter at their home. The DA's office told Law&Crime on Wednesday that the brother is currently in custody at the Marvin W. Foote Youth Services Center in Centennial after being formally charged with first-degree murder and an aggravated juvenile offender sentence enhancer.
Facebook posts have poured in from the children's family and friends, describing Elias as an "extraordinary" child with ties to Louisiana.
"Man my heart is broken and my feelings are shattered," wrote Elias' uncle in a March 16 Facebook post. "This was my Baby mane forever and ever," he said. "I love You Nephew gone miss you."
Photos posted by family and local ABC affiliate KMGH show Elias smiling and laughing with loved ones, including a video his dad posted on March 14 of them singing the Benson Boone song "Beautiful Things" together.
"This lil dude," wrote the boy's father.
The coroner's office told Law&Crime on Wednesday that Elias' cause of death "is pending the final autopsy report" and is still under investigation. "The pathologist has not determined anything yet," a spokesperson said.
Authorities responded to the family's home in the 5200 block of South Jericho Way at 5:30 p.m. that Tuesday and found Elias dead. Details of how he was discovered have not been released. Arapahoe County Sheriff's spokesman Anders Nelson told The Denver Post that the investigation was "very complex." Sheriff Tyler Brown has called it "one of the most difficult" cases his office has ever faced, KMGH reports.
"Our hearts go out to the family of these two young boys and to everyone in our community who is grieving this loss," Brown said in a statement.
"It's something that, literally as a parent, is probably your worst nightmare," a neighbor told local CBS affiliate KCNC.
Elias' brother is being charged in juvenile court. Elias is scheduled to be laid to rest on Friday in Shreveport, Louisiana.
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