Arrest made in 3-year-old’s murder in Colorado Springs

After a months-long investigation, a 28-year-old man from Fountain is now facing a first-degree murder charge for the killing of a three-year-old girl in Colorado Springs last October.

Bella Ritch was found unresponsive on Oct. 2, 2017, at a home near 3700 Ensenada Drive. She was taken to a local hospital before she died from her injuries, and investigators found evidence of blunt force trauma.

Colorado Springs police say investigations led to an arrest warrant for David Lake, who was in a relationship with Ritch’s mother. Lake was charged with first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death.

Lake was found Tuesday near E. Fountain and S. Academy boulevards, and he was arrested without incident, police said.