The Mount Upton parents accused of killing their teenage son and burning down their house pleaded not guilty this morning. Ernest Franklin II, 35, and 33-year-old Heather Franklin were arraigned on charges of second-degree murder. As Vince Briga explains, it's what investigators found out after the autopsy that still has them shaking their heads.
GUILFORD, N.Y. -- Investigators responded to a home on State Route 8 after reports that flames were ripping through the building. When they entered, they found the body of 16-year-old Jeffrey Franklin.
During their investigation, it was determined that this was no average fire.
"Once we received the autopsy results, red flags went up. We began to treat it as a homicide at that time, and things have come together to where we are today," said Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting Jr.
His parents, Ernest and Heather Franklin, would later be accused of murder. Investigators say Jeffrey Franklin's parents killed him, then set fire to their home to try to cover it up.
"This child, Jeffrey, was adopted 6 or 7 years ago. He's a handicapped young man and child. His death was caused, and they used the fire to try to cover that death up," said Cutting Jr.
Immediately after the fire, neighbors began chipping in to help the family rebuild. But after the autopsy results were released, Cutting Jr. says the community was shocked by the news.
"It's difficult, especially when you're on the outside looking in. Many, many people just ask themselves 'how could this ever happen?' " the sheriff said.
The sheriff says this is the first murder in Chenango County this year, but says it's an event that's unfortunately becoming more common.
"It seems like more and more here in upstate New York, these are the unfortunate stories that seem to grab out headlines," said Cutting.
At this time, each parent faces the sole charge of murder, but other serious charges, such as arson, could be introduced later on.
The couple was also arrested on counts of third-degree arson and tampering with physical evidence, but those charges were not introduced in court at their arraignment. A felony hearing is scheduled for next week.