Uncle faces murder charge after niece dies of hypothermia

A MAN who allegedly allowed his 11-year-old niece and 12-year-old nephew to attempt a 15km walk to their mother’s house on a freezing Christmas Day was arrested on a murder warrant in connection with the hypothermia death of the little girl.

The warrant accuses Kenneth Quintana, 29, of second-degree murder and felony injury to a child, said Jerome County sheriff’s Deputy David Ursino.

The children’s father, Robert Aragon, 55, was arrested earlier this week and faces the same charges.

Aragon and Quintana had been driving the children to visit their mother when their 1988 Buick Century got stuck in a snowdrift on a desolate road.

They allegedly allowed the children to attempt the trek on foot along a windswept, snowy highway while they stayed to free the car. They eventually returned to Aragon’s hometown of Jerome, Idaho.

Sage Aragon, 11, walked about 7km with her older brother Bear in subfreezing temperatures, but then turned back.

JoLeta Jenks, the children’s mother, rang Robert Aragon after the kids failed to arrive. She then rang authorities after learning the children were on foot, she said.

A search dog found Sage’s body, obscured by drifting snow, early on December 26, more than 4km from where she and her brother had set out.