Crime

​Carjacking suspect due in court in 4 deaths in Pa.

/ AP

PHILADELPHIA - A preliminary hearing is being held in Philadelphia for a parolee charged in a carjacking that left a mother and three of her children dead.

Prosecutors are asking a judge to uphold four counts of murder against 23-year-old Cornelius Crawford, along with carjacking, sexual assault and other charges.

Police allege that Crawford carjacked a real estate saleswoman after a showing in north Philadelphia, then sexually assaulted her while driving the car. The vehicle veered out of control at a busy intersection, killing a family selling fruit for a church fundraiser.

Prosecutors in Tuesday's hearing read summaries of autopsies on the victims. A police officer testified about finding them unresponsive with the carjacked woman crouched beside the crashed vehicle.

Nineteen-year-old co-defendant Johnathan Rosa earlier waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

First published on October 21, 2014 / 10:45 AM EDT

AP

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