14-year-old boy charged with murder in hanging death of Alabama girl

RAGLAND, Ala. – Alabama authorities say a 14-year-old boy is charged with murder in the death of a girl found hanging from a tree.

St. Clair County Sheriff Terry Surles says the victim, Katelynn Arnold, was 9 years old and the boy's half-sister.

Her body was discovered Thursday night outside her home in Ragland, a rural town about 40 miles northeast of Birmingham.

Neighbors told WBRC-TV the rope used to be part of a tire swing.

St. Clair County Coroner Dennis Russell said an autopsy found the cause of death was homicide due to ligature strangulation.