Bensalem teenager charged as adult in death of young woman
A 16-year-old Bensalem boy is charged as an adult with homicide in connection with the shooting death of a young woman.
BENSALEM, Pa. – A 16-year-old Bensalem teenager is being charged as an adult with manslaughter and related charges in connection with the death of a young woman.
According to Bensalem police, a 911 call came in Friday afternoon, just after 4 p.m., about a possible homicide.
The caller said her daughter received an Instagram video chat from a 16-year-old boy, identified as Joshua Cooper, and during the call, he said he had just killed someone. He then proceeded to rotate the video to show someone’s legs and feet covered in blood.
The caller said Cooper asked for help disposing of the body, authorities said.
“We actually saw him yesterday morning. He was with someone walking down the street. A couple of hours later, that’s when the police came out here,” said neighbor Bienvenido Rivera.
Officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1400 block of Gibson Road. When they arrived, they saw a teenager running out of the home. Police entered the residence and found a young woman dead inside the bathroom with an apparent gunshot wound. They also noticed that someone had gone to the trouble of cleaning up the scene.
Officers began searching for Cooper.
“Usually he stays alone, it’s like, it’s sad,” added Rivera.
Police located Cooper in the area of Newport Mews Drive and Groton Drive, where he was arrested and taken into custody. He was arraigned and denied bail.
Officials are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Ryan Kolb at 215-633-3746 or Detective Shawn Smith at 215-633-3687. Also, anonymous tips can be submitted here.