Mom Turns Kids in For Robbery
Categories: Just for moms, Teens & tweens, In the news
What would you do? This woman did what I believe to be the absolute right thing. She called the police and identified her 16-year old son and 17-year-old daughter as the perpetrators.
Kid Criminals
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold
This pair of high-school seniors enacted an all-out assault on Columbine High School during a normal school day, April 20, 1999. At the end of the day, 12 students and one teacher were dead, and 24 people. were injured. Harris, 18, and Klebold, 17, committed suicide after the killings.
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Robert Thompson
Along with his schoolmate, Jon Venables, also age 10, Thompson kidnapped two-year-old James Bulger in Liverpool in 1993. Surveillance cameras filmed Thompson and Venables leading James out of a shopping center; the toddler's lifeless, battered body was discovered on train tracks.
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Jon Venables
Along with Robert Thompson, Venables was released in 2001 after spending eight years in prison. Their current identities and whereabouts are unknown.
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Amy Fisher
Dubbed the "Long Island Lolita," Amy Fisher, then 16, began a affair with a married auto mechanic, Joey Buttafuoco. Fisher demanded her lover leave his wife, but he refused. In response, a 17-year-old Fisher shot Mary Jo Buttafuoco in the head. She spent nearly seven years in prison -- and Mr. Buttafuoco served six months for statutory rape.
Bill Sikes, AP
Malcolm Shabazz
A 12-year-old grandson of Malcolm X pled guilty to setting a blaze that killed his grandmother, Dr. Betty Shabazz, in 1997. After his release from prison, he was later arrested for attempted robbery and marijuana possession, among other charges.
Kathy Willens, AP
Willie Bosket
At the age of 15, Willie Bosket shot dead a man on the NYC subway. Eight days later, he shot dead another man in another attempted robbery. The Bosket case -- he was convicted as a murderer while still a minor -- led to a change in state law so that children as young as thirteen could be tried as an adult for murder.
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Mukesh Prasad
Quite possibly the youngest criminal in the world (cue Keith Olbermann), a 3-year-old boy in India was arrested for criminal mischief earlier this year, according to Hindu.com. Days after he was arrested, the cops who put the toddler behind bars were suspended. Now that's justice.
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Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme
The 1994 film "Heavenly Creatures," starring Kate Winslet, is based on the true story of two New Zealand girls, ages 16 and 15, who murdered Parker's mother when she tried to end their intense and obsessive relationship.
Zuma Press
Capt. David Zibolski of the MIlwaukee police department praises this mom and says that he hopes her actions will encourage others to come forward with information about crimes. Better yet, maybe her actions will make kids think twice about committing those crimes in the first place.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Jenni 11-17-2008 @ 3:24PM
Yeah Mom! It's about time a parent makes sure their children are held accountable for their actions.
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jan 11-18-2008 @ 2:55AM
I had a teenage daughter that spray painted death threats on thejr high when she was in high school. i turned her in too! It made her get suspended for 90 days! and pay the state back $4600. She begged me to get her back into school so she could graduate with her class and I wouldnt do it. She made the mess she could fix it. She ended up going to summer school (she had to pay for it) and taking a public bus (I had taken her car because she totaled mine).
She also worked for TWO years to pay back the $4600 and every time she made a payment she had to do it in cash (and bring me a receipt) I wanted the consequences to HURT. She graduated with her class, paid back the money and never did anything like that again AND SHE SAID THANK YOU TO ME AFTER ALL THAT!!! She is a 25 yr old married mother of two and doing great!!! OUR KIDS NEED US TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!!!
Shannon 11-17-2008 @ 8:19PM
I completly agree. My parents told me that if I ever did aything criminal and they found out, they would turn me in. I'm going to tell my son when he is older the same thing. Far too many kids these days have parents who would rather pretend that their kids are saints or that it was just a one time only thing. They would rather be friends with them instead of being actual parents. I don't blame the ills of society on any one but the parents who allow their children to do what they want, when they want instead of holding them responsible for their actions.
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Gary 11-18-2008 @ 1:39AM
Shannon said: "I don't blame the ills of society on any one but the parents who allow their children to do what they want, when they want instead of holding them responsible for their actions."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bravo, Shannon! I could not agree with you more. Apathetic parents are without a doubt the root cause of society's ills. They want to have children AND careers, but you cannot have both without one getting shortchanged....and usually it's the children, because most employers will not tolerate less than a 100% effort.
Too many parents treat public school as nothing more than government-subsidized daycare. They don't attend PTA conferences to discuss their child's progress. When the child comes home, the babysitters are the X-Box, computer, or the television. They rarely have family dinners because of schedule conflicts.
The end result?
Children with no direction, zero or little respect for others, and very low self-esteem. Without the "family" element to fall back on, they reach out somewhere else....often times to a "gang", where they receive promises of solidarity, loyalty, and a sense of belonging....things they could and should have received at home by the people who are supposed to truly care for them.
Some of you will say "we can't afford to raise our family on one income!". Well, isn't that something you should have considered PRIOR to starting a family?
The truth is that many parents that have them don't need two full-time incomes. The money you spend ON work, transportation, clothing, daycare, etc. just so you can go to work can eat up most of the income you earned. Also, the money you spend on perceived "necessities" for the house can often be trimmed to help you live within your financial means.
Do you REALLY need satellite TV with 250 channels and the NFL Ticket, Premium movie channels, super-speed broadband, and cell phones for every member of the family? No, you really don't...especially when paying for these items is what's keeping you from properly performing your most IMPORTANT duty as a parent....BEING a parent who is their for the children.
In closing, before you all point the finger at the world for your problems, first look at yourselves and ask "Am I REALLY doing all I can for my children and for the society for which they are a part?" If you are honest and objective with yourselves, the answer is probably "no".
billy10258 11-17-2008 @ 8:37PM
i got in trouble in high school for throwing a typewriter out the window, and then for drugs. both times my father went to the school and then the police station, handed the authorities a baseball bat and said if he gives you any trouble hit him in the knees! that is no joke! and i was a minor...he let me sit for 2 days in a city jail b4 coming to get me and then he beat the crap outta me! good for him!
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Laun 11-17-2008 @ 9:46PM
Billy I'm sorry to hear that, the typewriter and drugs not good, punishment is understood, but beatings are not.
billy10258 11-17-2008 @ 9:50PM
are u kidding me? where do you come from? mars? im from a working town..ive never been in trouble since...im 50 now..what are you sorry to hear? someone would not tolerate assanine behaviour?
BBB 11-17-2008 @ 10:01PM
Good for you Billy. Parents who criticize parents like yours are those who have kids who will be self centered and the kind who will shoot up schools.
We have an entire generation of spoiled brats coming up...
Your Dad saved you from a life of prison or even death! Hooray!
Laun 11-17-2008 @ 10:05PM
No, actually your extreme negative attitude towards someone sympathizing your to many beetings in your youth. However, if you are now still a stuck up brat then maybe you deserved it.
Wolfster 11-18-2008 @ 12:05AM
Yeah, Billy, way to go Billy's dad. You grew up so well-adjusted, with a parent like that, that you did things like throw typewriters out of windows. No built-up rage there.
Linda 11-18-2008 @ 1:21PM
Dear Billy:
I believe we were raised around the same era...my mom had me thrown into juvie for "running away from home"... she has in the past spanked me with a belt and grounded me for an entire summer (I cut the last day of school, but didn't know that the school let everyone out early)
Anyway, what I'm getting at is that at the time my mom did each and every one of those things I thought she was the meanest person in the whole world bent on making my life miserable, but after having children and getting over myself, I look back and realize that she did what she did because she loved me and wanted to make me understand that there are consequences to my actions and if I don't want to have bad consequences than I had to make good decisions.
My mom was a very wise woman who loved her children very much, and did her very best to raise all of us to be good citizens, we did get out of hand sometimes but we never strayed to far from what her expectations of us were and that is because she taught us and disciplined us.
Thanks for your comments and please don't let the others get you down.
marlene 11-18-2008 @ 2:31AM
Hi Billy!
Great post. I am 47 and I know that my mother put the fear of punishment in us all. She was raising 4 kids alone and didnt have time for juvenile crap. I commend your father for letting you take responsiblity for your actions and not babying you.
For those who thought that was too tough, grow up! The majority of parents from my generation are idiots. I am glad my mother raised me the way she did. She also let us all know that if we got in trouble, she wouldnt be running to bail us out. Now all of her kids are independent, dont look for handouts and take care of themselves and their families.
dizzydez9294 11-17-2008 @ 8:39PM
Thank God for a smart parent. I would do the same to my children and they know it. I would always love them no matter what, but they will be held accountable for their own actions.
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Andrea 11-17-2008 @ 8:39PM
I am a mom of three teen / young adult boys and love them dearly. I have always told them that I pray for them to be found out if they do something wrong or illegal. It must have hurt to be the one who found them out. My respect to this mom!!
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Linda Varon 11-17-2008 @ 8:42PM
This is a tougher thing to do than I think most parents realize. We do everything to protect our children. Even though they make mistakes, we forgive them and try to teach them to learn from them. Knowing the consequences of such an act, needs special tactics. Making your children "own up" to doing time, and having a felony on their records, is not exacly like taking your five your old back to the store to return a stolen candy bar! This mother took a LOT of courage to do the RIGHT thing. I don't know if I could have done it.
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lita 11-17-2008 @ 8:42PM
There are some people who will have a problem with what this woman did. Family doesn't do that to family. Of course, Webster's defines these people as dimwits. She absolutely did do the right thing. You can do everything you can to raise your children do the right thing, and they can still go astray. And these two went astray big time. She just may have saved their (miserable) lives. I hope they have learned their lesson, lest they take someone else's life or lose their own.
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notherROUND 11-17-2008 @ 8:43PM
Good for Mom. I applaud her.
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Tracy 11-17-2008 @ 8:43PM
This Mom is a Hero
I know it had to be hard to turn in your own children. But if more parents would take the responsibility crime would go down.
God Bless you Momma, what you did took great heart and soul.
True valor..........
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PuP 11-17-2008 @ 8:45PM
Yes It was very courageous to turn your own child(ren) in to the authorities. We did turn ours in for stealing my car and taking it for a joy ride. The police found them no less by a school where children were present which was the first safety hazard amongst many many others. We ended up having to pay for a lawyer for our older daughter because she had no respect for authority and lots of fines along with community service hours on our part as parents. We are law abiding citizens, work hard every day, give back to our community and have to admit it was very rewarding to feel we did the right thing but they have not learned much of anything from this situation. They have no respect along as other children in this society which shouldnt be. They have many rights as children and parents and authority have been stripped of many important child rearing rights. Long hard road ahead. Still no reprieve and they are now 21 and 17.
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Jenni 11-18-2008 @ 12:27AM
Stop paying for the lawyer. You go so far to doing the right thing, then you pay for the lawyer. At 21, if she's still screwing up, she needs to hit rock bottom. I know it's hard, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!