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Jan. 10--SUNBURY -- Despite pleading not guilty to endangering the welfare of a child, Victor Hare on Friday learned he will face trial after a 9-year-old Sunbury boy under his supervision was found dead in Hare's home Oct. 13.

Korbin Rager, an Oaklyn Elementary fourth-grader, died of a suspected drug overdose in Hare's Point Township home. A convicted felon, Hare also is accused of illegally possessing multiple firearms in the house where Korbin was staying.

In addition to the guns, police confiscated from Hare's home after Korbin's death 44 bottles of various prescription medication, a pedicure skin grinder, a used condom wrapper, Durex lubricant, one empty bottle each of Alprazol, Oxycodone and Triazolam, two bottles of Oxycontin, two paper prescriptions for Oxycontin, a pill cutter and crusher, a cut white straw with a red stripe, a digital scale and a red cloth, according to a search warrant filed in District Judge John Gembic's Shamokin office.

Hare appeared in Northumberland County Court and blamed the media for pre-trial publicity.

"I need a change of venue or venire because my case has become nationally known," Hare said.

Hare, represented by conflicts attorney Kate Lincoln, told Senior Judge Lawrence Clark, of Dauphin County, that he wrote to Northumberland County President Judge William Wiest regarding his request.

Clark only wanted to preside over the formal arraignment and had Hare sworn in while Clark read the charges.

District Attorney Ann Targonski is prosecuting the case.

Hare was returned to the Northumberland County Prison, where he has been housed since October. He remains incarcerated in lieu of $290,000 bail.

Point Township police allege that Hare was watching two children at his home when he was awakened by a 13-year-old boy who told Hare his half-brother, Korbin, was dead.

Hare waited 40 minutes to call 911, telling Point Township police that he performed cardiopulmonary resusci­tation.

Officers said the other child told them he walked in the bed­room and tried to awaken Korbin, but he couldn't, according to court records. The boy said he told Hare to call paramedics, but Hare allegedly told the boy to wait, according to court documents.

Only after the child began to yell at Hare to call 911 was a call made, court papers state.

When paramedics and police arrived, they found Korbin in a bedroom, officers said, and his half-brother crying.

Korbin was rushed to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, where he was pro­nounced dead at 8:43 a.m., Montour County Coroner Scott Lynn said. Korbin died of an apparent drug overdose of prescription pills, Lynn said.

Hare was charged with the weapons offense after Point Township police said they found in his bedroom closet a hinge-action 12-gauge shotgun and two bolt-action .22-caliber rifles.

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