Utah teen arrested in death of his two brothers

WEST POINT, Utah — A teenager was arrested Thursday in the deaths of his two younger brothers, ages 4 and 10, at the family home in a Salt Lake City subdivision of new homes and tidy lawns, police said.

Davis County Sheriff Todd Richardson said authorities believe the boys died from knife wounds. It appears the 15-year-old boy acted alone, he said.

“As result of the emerging details, the 15-year-old juvenile has officially been taken into custody,” Richardson said. Formal charges have yet to be filed.

The Associated Press is wiithholding the name of the boy because of his age.

The bodies of the brothers were found Wednesday night at the home in West Point, about 30 miles north of Salt Lake City.

Police said the boys had been left with their older brother while their mother took her other children to a dance recital.

Richardson didn’t take questions at the news conference and offered only scant details. He said the mother found her 4-year-old dead on the floor and called 911.

She thought both her 10-year-old and 15-year-old were missing, but police discovered the body of the 10-year-old while searching the house.

Police found the 15-year-old shortly before midnight. He was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Police declined to comment on his mental status.

The boys’ father is active duty military and has been deployed in another state for some time.