Alleged Boy Assassin in Mexico a U.S. Citizen

U.S. officials have confirmed an alleged 14-year-old drug gang killer and accused of participating in four beheadings in Mexico is a U.S. citizen.

U.S. Embassy spokesman Alexander Featherstone says U.S. authorities have also confirmed his 19-year-old sister is an American citizen. He says embassy officials have visited both in prison.

He said Thursday the embassy "will continue to provide consular services to the boy and his sister" but provided no other details.

The boy and his sister were arrested Thursday as they tried to board a plane to Tijuana in an airport near Cuernavaca south of Mexico City. A 23-year-old sister who drove them to the airport was also detained.

The siblings' mother was arrested in San Diego Wednesday and charged with entering the U.S. illegally.

On Sunday, a Mexican judge said will be tried under a state juvenile law that carries a maximum of three years in prison if convicted.

The juvenile court judge in the state of Morelos made the ruling after a daylong hearing on whether the federal government should handle the case because of the gravity of the allegations against the boy, known as "El Ponchis."

The judge said that Mexican law allows him to preside over cases involving minors facing federal charges and that the teenager will face charges of murder, organized crime and other allegations in the state of Morelos.

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Many youths have been used by drug cartels, but the story of El Ponchis may be the most shocking. A YouTube video that emerged a month ago sparked talk of a child hit man - said by some to be as young as 12.

"I participated in four executions, but I did it drugged and under threat that if I didn't, they would kill me," the boy said when he was handed over to the federal prosecutor Friday.

Authorities identified the curly haired suspect only by his first name, Edgar.