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Body of 4-year-old child discovered in Broomfield home; Man placed under arrest

Posted at 11:51 AM, Apr 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-28 01:19:52-04

BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Police made a gruesome discovery in Broomfield this morning, after receiving two phone calls from a house at West 136th Avenue and Stuart Court.

Investigators say one of the calls was a hang-up 911 call and the other was a request for medical assistance.

“When they entered the house, (the officer) discovered a young child that had received a massive amount of trauma,” said Broomfield Police Department spokeswoman Joleen Reefe. “He was later pronounced deceased.”

Reefe said that a family member, 25-year old Emanuel Joseph Doll, was arrested for investigation of Felony Homicide.

One neighbor told Denver7 that Doll is the victim’s uncle.

Another neighbor said the Doll family kept to themselves.

“It’s a horrible situation,” said neighbor Ashley O’Brien. “Being a mom of two, I don’t know what I would do if I lost one of my sons.”

Neighbor David Platz said his family had interactions with the Dolls when both families’ kids were small.

“They went to the same grade school as our kids did,” he said. “Once they went to high school, they kind of grew apart.”

Platz said he was surprised to see all the police activity this morning.

“I was at a doctor’s appointment,” he said.  “I left early.  Nothing was going on. I came home and the streets were blocked off, so I went over and talked to a neighbor – it was a pretty devastating thing.”

Investigation

Despite the massive amount of trauma, Reefe said the boy’s cause of death has not officially been determined.  She said the Coroner will conduct an autopsy.

When police were initially dispatched to the house, the dispatch operator told them, “RP is saying his son killed his grandson,” and “An ax was used and the ax is still inside the house.”

Police aren’t saying anything about a weapon at this point.

They spent much of the afternoon waiting for a search warrant to enter the house.

Authorities have not released the victim’s name.  They say they have notified immediate family members, but have yet to notify extended family.

They say they are providing emotional support and assistance to family members and first responders.

“This is a very sad and tragic event,” Reefe said. “Our hearts go out to the family and especially this young child.”

Suspect

Doll, a 2010 graduate of Broomfield High School, is being held at the Broomfield Detention Center.

Court records show he was previously arrested and charged with 3rd Degree Assault in December of 2014.

He was also arrested in April of 2016 and charged with Criminal Mischief and Obstruction.

He is due in court on Friday, April 28 for the homicide case.

Street shut down

Police shut down a stretch of W. 136th Avenue between Lowell and Broadlands during the investigation.

The street was re-opened at mid-afternoon.


 

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