Egyptian 4-Year-Old Sentenced to Life Was 'Mistaken Identity'

Charges against the 4-year-old Egyptian boy, who was sentenced last week to life in prison, have been dropped according to the Egyptian military who say it was a case of “mistaken identity,” local news reported Monday.

Spokesperson Col. Mohammad Samir wrote in a Facebook post that the young child’s name, Ahmed Mansour Qurani Ali, was similar to a 16-year-old who should have received the sentence.

Also, the boy’s father, Mansour Qorany Sharara, said his family have received assurances that authorities and police will not be pursuing his son anymore, according to CNN.

Sharara had been avoiding authorities who had previously detained him when they came to arrest his young son.

The indictment against the boy included four counts of murder, eight counts of attempted murder, vandalizing state property during protests in January 2014, when the boy was 16 months old.