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A 14-year-old boy was arraigned this morning in Prince George's County Juvenile Court on charges of first-degree murder and rape in the February killing of a Cheltenham Youth Facility teacher.

The boy, who was present at the hearing, is accused of killing Hannah Wheeling, 65, of Bel Air. Wheeling was found beaten to death on the grounds of the juvenile detention center Feb. 18.

According to a source close to the investigation, Wheeling was last seen administering a test to the boy, who was then 13, at 4 p.m. the day before her body was found bludgeoned with a hard object, strangled and raped.

The juvenile's DNA matched DNA evidence at the scene, according to the source, who was not authorized to provide details in the investigation.

This morning, the county state's attorney's office submitted a petition to Circuit Court Judge C. Philip Nichols Jr. requesting the court waive the boy's juvenile status and try him as an adult. His name is being withheld because of his juvenile status.

A waiver hearing is scheduled for Aug. 27. If tried and convicted as an adult, the boy could face life in prison. If he is tried as a juvenile and found "involved" — the juvenile equivalent of "guilty" — he could be released after he turns 21.

Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey (D), speaking after the hearing, declined to discuss the specifics of the case, except to say his office would be preparing for the upcoming waiver hearing.

"The circumstances speak for themselves," he said when asked why his office decided to request the boy be charged as an adult.

The boy has been held at a facility in western Maryland since February, when he was first considered a suspect, according to the source close to the investigation.

During the hearing, Maryland Department of Juvenile Services case manager Kimberly Atkinson told the judge the department was still deciding where the boy could be placed as the case proceeds. She did not go into details, but did say the boy had been involved in several fights with other juveniles over the last five months.

Nichols also made references to six unrelated charges the boy is facing. The boy's attorney, public defender Allen Wolf, confirmed the boy had originally been sent to Cheltenham, although he declined to say when or discuss details, for burglary charges.

The boy did not speak, except to respond to the judge in one-word answers. Wolf declined to comment on the specifics of the case but did accuse the state's attorney's office of failing to provide him with adequate notice of today's hearing.

Wolf also indicated that he planned to contest the petition that the boy be tried as an adult.

"He is a juvenile. He should be a juvenile," Wolf said after the hearing.

At the time of her death, Wheeling was a general studies teacher in Cheltenham's Re-Direct Program, which served youths in need of court-ordered supervision but who were not deemed dangerous.

The morning of Feb. 18, a staff member found Wheeling lying on the ground outside the door to the Murphy Cottage, a building that housed the Re-Direct Program and was separate from the more secure youth detention center. The state medical examiner determined Wheeling died of multiple blunt-force trauma injuries. She was found partially clothed, but police previously had not confirmed she was raped.

As of February, all new admissions to the Re-Direct Program were suspended indefinitely, according to DJS spokesman Jay Cleary. The approximately 20 youths still enrolled in February were allowed to finish their treatment, he said, but the program has been completely inactive since April.

Following the hearing, DJS Secretary Donald W. DeVore released a written statement: "For our staff at Cheltenham and the friends and family of Ms. Wheeling, I am pleased that the process is under way that will bring this matter to closure. As always, DJS will continue to assist all parties in any way it can during the upcoming criminal proceedings."

Last week, House Minority Leader Anthony O'Donnell (R-Dist. 29C) — who has previously called for DeVore's resignation over his handling of the incident — released a public letter addressed to Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) that questioned the status of the investigation.

O'Donnell said Wednesday that despite today's arraignment, "We know nothing more about the murder ... of Hannah Wheeling today than we did yesterday or last month or on Feb. 18."

He said he recognized that certain information could not be released due to the juvenile status of the case, but that he was still seeking answers from the governor and DeVore about the circumstances surrounding Wheeling's death.

"What makes the general public think any changes have been made ... without the details?" he said. "What failed in the system that allowed a state employee to be murdered?"

Ivey said Wednesday he had received O'Donnell's letter and appreciated the legislature's interest in the case, but added that he wanted to keep any politics separate from the case as it moves forward.

E-mail Zoe Tillman at ztillman@gazette.net.