MARILLA, N.Y. -- New charges have been filed against a teenager in connection with a toddler's death in Marilla.
Devon VanDerWege, 17, was initially charged with assault, but on Thursday, prosecutors filed a new charge of second-degree murder in the death of 2-year-old Ethan Bigham.
Erie County District Attorney John Flynn says VanDerWege was babysitting the toddler on or around March 10 and caused Bigham's death by blunt force trauma. Flynn says there are no winners in the case, but he hopes Bigham's young life can still have an impact.
"If anything good can come out of the death of a 2-year-old and that's kind of an oxymoron, I can't imagine what good comes out of the death of a poor 2-year-old child. The fact is that his organs were harvested and hopefully he can save another life," said Flynn.
VanDerWege is not related to the child and had been living with the family for less than a month. Three other children were also removed from the home after Bigham's death.
Erie County Sheriff Tim Howard says parents should seriously consider who they leave their children with.
"If you're using babysitting services or leaving your child in the company of an individual that's not very well known to you, it may not be a wise thing to do," said Howard.
VanDerWege pleaded not guilty and was remanded to jail without bail. He'll undergo a mental evaluation and is due back in court on April 13.
If convicted, VanDerWege faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison.