The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office has announced that the medical examiner has ruled the death of 11-year-old Abbiegail Smith, of Keansburg, a homicide from a stab wound to the neck.

The Prosecutor’s Office was working on the assumption that Smith’s death was a murder. The medical examiner confirmed that and the exact cause of the death.

The Prosecutor posted the following on Facebook Monday night:

“HOMICIDE UPDATE: Medical Examiner rules #AbbiegailSmith a homicide, says 11-year-old girl died from stab wound to the neck.”

At his initial appearance in Monmouth County Superior Court in Freehold on Friday, Andreas Erazo, 18, of Keansburg, was officially charged with the first-degree murder of Smith as well as third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon in connection with the homicide.

He was ordered held without bail until a detention hearing slated for Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard W. English.