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Girl sentenced to juvenile facility for assaulting autistic boy in Southern Maryland Girl sentenced to juvenile facility for assaulting autistic boy in Southern Maryland
(34 minutes later)
The younger of the two girls accused of assaulting and tormenting a 16-year-old autistic boy in Southern Maryland -- including luring him out to a frozen pond that he fell into repeatedly -- was sentenced Thursday to a maximum of about six years in a secure juvenile detention facility. The younger of the two girls accused of assaulting and tormenting a 16-year-old autistic boy in Southern Maryland — including luring him out to a frozen pond that he fell into repeatedly — was sentenced Thursday to a maximum of about six years in a secure juvenile detention facility.
The 15-year-old girl pleaded guilty earlier this month to second degree assault and displaying an obscene photograph of a boy and a St Mary’s judge ordered her on Thursday to a lock down juvenile facility until age 21 or earlier if authorities deem appropriate. (The girl is a juvenile and has not been publicly identified by authorities.) The 15-year-old girl pleaded guilty earlier this month to second-degree assault and displaying an obscene photograph of a boy, and a St. Mary’s County judge ordered her on Thursday to a lockdown juvenile facility until age 21, or earlier if authorities deem it appropriate. (The girl is a juvenile and has not been publicly identified by authorities.)
The other girl in the case, Lauren A. Bush, 17, has been charged as an adult with first-degree assault, child-pornography solicitation, and false imprisonment, and if convicted, faces up to 80 years in prison. The other girl in the case, Lauren A. Bush, 17, has been charged as an adult with first-degree assault, child-pornography solicitation and false imprisonment and, if convicted, faces up to 80 years in prison.
Bush is undergoing several weeks of psychological examinations at a state juvenile detention center while she awaits a hearing in late May, when a St. Mary’s County judge will decide whether to transfer her case to a juvenile court or keep her case in adult court. Bush is undergoing several weeks of psychological examinations at a state juvenile detention center while she awaits a hearing in late May, when a St. Mary’s judge will decide whether to transfer her case to a juvenile court or keep her case in adult court.
In their charging documents, St. Mary’s County sheriff’s deputies say the girls from Chopticon High School repeatedly assaulted their school mate from December to March and that their acts were all captured on the younger girl’s cellphone video. According to authorities, Bush held a knife against the boy’s throat twice; both girls coerced him into walking over a frozen pond into he crashed multiple times while the girls did nothing to help; and they tried to push him into having sex with his family’s dog. In their charging documents, St. Mary’s County sheriff’s deputies say the girls from Chopticon High School repeatedly assaulted their schoolmate from December to March and that their acts were all captured on video on the younger girl’s cellphone. According to authorities, Bush held a knife against the boy’s throat twice, both girls coerced him into walking over a frozen pond into which he fell multiple times while the girls did nothing to help, and they tried to push him into having sex with his family’s dog.
The boy, surprisingly, has told the Washington Post in an interview that he wants all charges against the girls to be dropped and that they should get no jail time. He believes what the authorities called assaults were actually games. But his parents are furious and hope the girls receive lengthy sentences. The boy has told the Washington Post in an interview that he wants all charges against the girls to be dropped and that they should get no jail time. He believes what the authorities called assaults were actually games. But his parents are furious and hope the girls receive lengthy sentences.
The girl, dressed in bright pink hoodie and shackled at her feet and hands, cried throughout Thursday’s hearing. Just before the judge’s ruling, she and her patents stood up and pleaded that she not enter a secure detention center and that she instead be ordered to a “community-based” program. The girl, dressed in a bright pink hoodie and shackled at her feet and hands, cried throughout Thursday’s hearing. Just before the judge’s ruling, she and her parents stood up and pleaded that she not enter a secure detention center and that she instead be ordered to a “community-based” program.
“I just feel a not-lockdown facility is going to best for me,” the girl said.“I just feel a not-lockdown facility is going to best for me,” the girl said.
“Of course you do,” St. Mary’s County Judge Michael Stamm interjected with obvious sarcasm.“Of course you do,” St. Mary’s County Judge Michael Stamm interjected with obvious sarcasm.
After the girl failed to apologize face to face to the autistic boy’s family in open court - she did write the parents an apology letter, however — Stamm sternly rejected her request to avoid a lockdown facility. He called her actions “horrific” and said that she “groomed” the boy for “your own selfish fun.” He also declared that she was a “high risk” to the community. After the girl failed to apologize face to face to the autistic boy’s family in open court — she did write the parents an apology letter, however — Stamm sternly rejected her request to avoid a lockdown facility. He called her actions “horrific” and said that she “groomed” the boy for “your own selfish fun.” He also declared that she was a “high risk” to the community.
The boy’s father, a federal government contracting analyst, took the stand and addressed the girl directly. “Your actions have betrayed the trust of someone who thought you were their friend,” he said. “I can say that [my son] almost never smiles and I hope in time he will heal. I also hope that you will grow to understand that it is wrong to prey upon the weak in our community.” The boy’s father, a federal government contracting analyst, took the stand and addressed the girl directly. “Your actions have betrayed the trust of someone who thought you were their friend,” he said. “I can say that [my son] almost never smiles, and I hope in time he will heal. I also hope that you will grow to understand that it is wrong to prey upon the weak in our community.”