CNN) -- A 14-year-old suspect in the murder of a 4-year-old boy found drowned and then stuffed into a clothes dryer in Mendota, California, has been charged as an adult, authorities said Tuesday.

Fresno County, California, District Attorney Elizabeth A. Egan said Raul Renato Castro was charged with special circumstances, including murder during a child molestation, sodomy, kidnapping and murder of a witness to prevent testimony.

Castro faces separate felony charges of kidnapping, sodomy and child molestation, Egan said.

Under California law, a 14-year-old is not eligible for the death penalty or a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, according to a statement from Egan's office. If found guilty, the boy could receive no more than 32 years to life plus 15 years.

The incident began Friday afternoon, when Alex Christopher Mercato's parents discovered that the child, who had been playing outside their house, was missing, Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims told reporters Monday.

The parents called police, who began to search the neighborhood and nearby parks in Mendota, 33 miles west of Fresno, she said. Soon, the FBI was called in.

On Saturday, authorities resumed the search door-to-door. They did not have to go far. In the house next door to the Mercatos, authorities discovered the boy's body stuffed inside a dryer in a closet, Mims said. An autopsy determined he had drowned.

The teenager, who had been the only member of his family who was at home on Friday afternoon, was arrested and booked into the juvenile justice center, Mims said.

Castro is the sole suspect in the case, she said. He is to be arraigned Wednesday in Fresno County Superior Court.

What is messed up with this world?

Total Depravity and he was not brought up in the ways of the Lord.

Isaiah, do you really think that all NonChristians (of any faith) would feel this behaviour is acceptable and may engage in it? Since they are not brought up as you say?

Or am I misinterpreting your words?

The doctrine of total depravity asserts that people are by nature not inclined to love God wholly with heart, mind, and strength, but rather all are inclined by nature to serve their own will and desires and to reject the rule of God.

Total depravity does not mean, however, that people are as evil as possible. Rather, it means that even the good which a person may intend is faulty in its premise, false in its motive, and weak in its implementation; and there is no mere refinement of natural capacities that can correct this condition. Thus, even acts of generosity and altruism are in fact egoist acts in disguise

He sodomized a 4 year old and drowned him. Sounds about right.

He sodomized a 4 year old and drowned him. Sounds about right.

And killed the witness. Terrible.

No, but they are all possible of committing such a horrible act or worse.

Flyingnun; now he'll just say something like "they're not true Christians then". Which is weird; it's possible for everyone to commit terrible acts except "true" Christians. Lol when in reality Christians have committed some of the most atrocious acts in history. You are 100% correct, it has nothing to do with faith.

But a true agnostic would?

It has absolutely nothing to do with one's faith.

What about a true secular humanist?

If you believe murder is wrong you wouldn't do this; it has nothing to do with faith. A moral code including believing murder is wrong doesn't require a person to have any religious belief.

A "true Christian" however, would not do something like this. Neither would a true Muslim, a true Hindu, a true Buddhist, or a true Jew.