Attorney to challenge teen's confession

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) - It was a packed house for Tuesday's arraignment of two teens charged in connection with the death of five-year-old Bella Tennant.

Sixteen-year-old John Freeman will be tried as an adult and faces a second-degree murder charge.

The Niagara County Coroner ruled Isabella Tennant's cause of death as a mechanical obstruction of the airway and compression of the neck.

MORE | See the full video from the courtroom today

Police say the suspect used his bare hands, which would mean Isabella was choked to death.

In court, Freeman was asked, “are you a student?” He answered, “no.” That was the only word Freeman said in court.

He never looked at Isabella's family, he only glanced at his own family who cried through the arraignment.

MORE | Isabella's mother spoke to News 4 in an exclusive interview, talking about her tragic loss and explaining why Bella was left alone with a 16-year-old after the girl's great grandmother had gone to bed

Defense Attorney Robert Viola plans to challenge Freeman's alleged confession to police.

Viola said, “It's my understanding the people's case for the most part rests on a reported statement given by my client.”

Co defendant Tyler Best is charged with tampering with evidence. He's accused helping dump the five-year-old girl's body in a trash can.