A member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of South Dakota was sentenced to life in prison in connection with a house fire that killed his two younger siblings.

Rooks, 18, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder of a child under 18 and one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child under 12. He admitted he started a fire at his family's home in May 2008 while trying to conceal evidence of the abuse.

Rooks apologized to relatives for the deaths of his 4-year-old sister and 2-year-old brother. His attorney described a painful upbringing -- his mother has since been charged with child abuse and exposing children to abuse.

“I take full accountability and responsibility for what I did,” he said, The Rapid City Journal reported. “What I get is what I deserve … I’m sorry.”

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikal Hanson described Rooks as a sexual predator. “I don’t think Mr. Rooks can be fixed,” Hanson said, the Journal reported. “He is a huge danger to society. Nothing says that with age that will change.”

Get the Story:
Cherry Creek teen who killed siblings in house fire sentenced to life in prison (The Rapid City Journal 5/20)

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