Enfield, Connecticut — The town is reeling after a 12-year-old girl who was found unresponsive in her bedroom on March 18 has become the focus of an intense criminal investigation that culminated in the arrest of her stepfather this week. Officials charged 39‑year‑old Anthony Federline with first‑degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a child, marking a major development in a case that has gripped this quiet community.
Police were called to a home on Elm Street just after 10 a.m. on March 18 following a 911 call from the girl’s mother, who had gone to wake her daughter and discovered something was seriously wrong. Responders found the girl, later identified as Eve Rogers, unresponsive on the floor of her bedroom with a blanket over her lower body. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators noted physical signs that raised immediate concern.
What began as a death investigation quickly expanded after officers found “suspicious circumstances” inside the home. Several pills were discovered near the girl’s bedroom door and on furniture. Authorities secured a search warrant and spent more than 12 hours processing the scene, gathering evidence and combing through the house. The Connecticut State Police Major Crime Unit assisted local officers in what became a methodical and exhaustive effort.
A sexual assault kit was performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner before the formal autopsy. DNA swabs were taken, and forensic testing later linked Federline’s DNA to samples collected from the child’s body. While officials have not publicly detailed how the DNA matched, law enforcement sources confirm the connection was significant enough to justify felony charges. The official cause and manner of death remain under review pending toxicology results.
Federline was booked and held on a $1,000,000 bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned next week in Hartford Superior Court. In charging documents released by police, authorities describe the assault allegations in clear terms, but they have stopped short of publicly tying the assault charges directly to the child’s death while the medical examiner’s findings are still pending.
Neighbors and friends of the family remain in shock. Community members described Eve as a bright, kind child whose loss has shaken those who knew her. Enfield Public Schools confirmed she had been homeschooled prior to her death, a status that has fueled speculation in some quarters, though school officials and police stress there is no evidence linking her schooling situation to her death. Local counseling services have been made available as the town tries to cope with the tragedy.
Authorities continue to investigate, speaking with anyone who might have information and awaiting further forensic results that could shed light on both the circumstances of Eve’s death and the breadth of the alleged crime. The tragedy has left a profound void in Enfield, with many still searching for answers as the legal process begins.
