Robert Aragon, the father of an 11-year-old girl who died of hypothermia after attempting to walk 10 miles in the snow, was charged with second-degree murder and felony injury to a child Tuesday.
Sage Aragon, 11, whose snow-covered body was found by rescue dogs at 2 a.m. beside a barbed wire fence, died of hypothermia.
Her body was found 2.7 miles from where the two began walking. The Associated Press reported that preliminary autopsy results showed she died of hypothermia. Officials reported that the temperatures in the area at the time the children were missing ranged from 27 degrees above zero to minus 5, with the snow being described by adults as being knee-deep for them.
Her 12-year-old brother, Bear, who got separated during the long trek in freezing weather, was found alive in a public restroom, wearing only his long underwear. The newspaper, quoting a county sheriff's office, says the boy had discarded his jacket, pants and shoes because of hypothermia-related delusion.
Aragon faces 10 years to life in prison if convicted.
