Utah Pair Face Ice-Water Death Charges

Two people appeared in a Utah courtroom Tuesday to face charges they killed a 9-year-old boy by forcing him to remain in a tub of ice water for 45 minutes.

Josue Contreras-Velasco died of hypothermia during what was supposed to be a disciplinary measure handed out by his 19-year-old sister and her co-defendant in the kitchen of a Salt Lake City restaurant.

Rebecca Hernandez-Velasco and Pedro Gaucin-Canales, 36, face first-degree murder charges in connection with Josue’s death last week.

The Salt Lake Tribune said Hernandez-Velasco’s lawyer said after the hearing that the boy’s death was a family tragedy that was unintentional. He maintained the charges should be reduced to a second- or third-degree felony.