The United States treats its own children more harshly in its justice system than any other developed country. Our latest victims: two troubled, violent, disturbed little girls.
In Wisconsin, two twelve year olds have apparently confessed to the brutal stabbing of a classmate, allegedly to impress “Slender Man,” a fictional, eerie, popular Internet character. The girls claim to have planned the attack for months. The victim nearly died, but is now in stable condition. Nineteen stab wounds to a little girl – sickening, horrendous, agonizing. But if we were behaving like adults, the brutality of the crime would have no bearing on whether a child is an adult. Because no matter what she does, she isn’t.
Yet Wisconsin has charged the girls as adults, which means they could face life in prison for the crime of attempted murder. Wisconsin is one of the toughest states when it comes to punishing children. A 1995 state law requires prosecutors to file adult charges in homicide or attempted homicide cases if the child is at least ten.
Ten!
In my opinion, ten year olds are not old enough to play in the neighborhood unsupervised. If they’re off in the woods committing crimes, the adults responsible for them are at fault. And twelve year olds repeatedly accessing horror sites evidences adults in derogation of their duty to protect these youngsters from the many, often publicized online dangers.
Twenty-eight other states have similar laws.
No other developed country throws away the lives of their children like we do. In Europe, for example, one must actually be an adult to be tried as an adult. The American rate of juvenile incarceration is seven times that of Great Britain, and eighteen times that of France. We spend an average of $88,000 per year to keep a juvenile locked up — about ten times more than educating that child.
These middle school girls are not old enough to drink, drive, vote, or sign a legal contract. Some news sites fuzz out their photos and don’t name them. Why? Because they are children. (I agree, and am not naming them here.) Humans cannot be children in some areas and adults in others – especially when the one and only exception anywhere in our system is pretending that children are adults when we want to lock them up for the rest of their lives. We will protect their privacy in light of their tender age, but we’ll deprive them of freedom for decades in spite of it?
Our entire system should plead insanity.
Psychological research is overwhelming that juveniles have poor impulse control, inability to appreciate the long term consequences of their actions, and some difficulty in distinguishing fantasy from reality. This is why at twelve my friends and I were having séances, convincing ourselves that we were hearing voices from the other side, our Ouija boards directing our behavior. We screamed and cried and acted like idiots, insisted that we “saw” vampires under the bed.
Didn’t you?
This immaturity is precisely why twelve year olds can’t live alone, work, or even drop out of school.
Yet these girls were expected to understand Miranda warnings and intelligently waive them, or ask for a lawyer.
Who’s living in the fantasy world now? Few adults understand the meaning of legal language and have the knowledge base to make the right decision about whether to talk or waive their rights. To put it simply: any defendant who waives Miranda rights and speaks to the police made the wrong choice. As these girls did.
They’re not even teenagers.
Most of the coverage of this story has focused on the creepy Slenderman meme. But scarier still are our legal fictions that ignore that a twelve year old is a child, because we are blinded to reality by our rage. That shadowy figure lurking in the corners of this story should be the bogeyman of our own shame.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Avvo.
75 comments
Debuke
Lisa, very well said!
Fan of Creepypasta, and JUSTICE.
Creepypastas* (for my other comment)
Chas
It is really amazing that the U.S. population is less than 10% of the global population, yet our prisons hold 25% of the world's inmates. OUr prison "industry" is nothing more than a warehouse for those that have been caught up in the latest war on drugs, sex, grafitti, impaired driving, you name itm we will lock you up for it. Even if there are better options such as community service or the like. We are very quick to lock people away. This case is a perfect example. We are talking about children, who for whatever reason have comitted a heinous act. They are still children. Perhaps it was their parents' fault, or their environment or exposure to extreme horror fantasy characters or maybe they were bullied. Whatever the cause, they are children and should be handled as such. I agree it's much easier to lock them up and throw away the key, but there are other, better options that should be explored. It's quite possible that these girls are too far gone to be helped, yet at the tender age of 12, they deserve more of a chance.
Fan of Creepypasta, and JUSTICE.
Wow. This is really sad. Those girls are like me, just big fans of Slender Man, but they went way out of line, and disrespected our whole fandom. They brought shame towards Slender and the Creepyapastas. Those girls were just so caught up in what they thought they were going to do, they didn't realize the intensity and horror of what they actually were going to do. They aren't even teens yet, their brains haven't fully matured yet, and they have to learn self control. That, and I hate how people on here are blaming inanimate objects and stuff all about fantasy (video games, movies, websites, etc) for this. I don't know about you, but violent video games and movies and scary stories are just pretend and enjoyable; meant to be completely innocent and all for fun, but what those two girls totally fractured what fantasy is all about. And no, I don't think the girls who stabbed her are the only victims. I am incredibly sorry that that poor innocent girl went through that, and speaking for the whole fandom, have our condolences and apologies. That is NOT what we are about. "Creativity not reality" is what we are about. I believe in Slender and the other Pastas, but I do not believe in pointless killing in order to please them. We should be allowed to play "violent" games and read Creepypastas because it, in no way at all, is meant to cause harm to anyone, and it was those girls' faults for not realizing what they were about to do, and going out of control, but I do not believe they should be punished as adults, they are minors; but that's no excuse for not punishing them. They should have counseling/ therapy and get help. I hope the best for the victim, and pray she fully recovers, and lives a long happy life, she is a brave girl.
Nick
I love the polarity of these comments! Each side claims that the other is uneducated for making a stance. I guess it poses the question, "Can there be a middle ground?"
I personally say a resounding "No," due to the crime committed. This wasn't a stabbing; it was a stabbing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.
Tired of reading that? It's one "over" for each subsequent stabbing after the first. Even a 12 year old has the wits to stop before the number gets that high. Try doing a motion 19 times in a row to see how your mind wanders and muscles begin to stiffen up. These girls had to will themselves to continue.
JC
They deserve to get locked up for life! They knew exactly what they were doing! I hope the judge isn't a bleeding heart idiot like you are! Maybe you should take both them girls in. And see how long they let you live. My guess not very long. They are two psychopaths that deserve to get locked away!
Annette Patterson
This entire situation is horrifying! But these are 12 year old girls. They are children themselves! ! The bottom line is , Why are the parents not being held responsible? What if these were your children? This society allows repulsive video games, movies, and inappropriate shows to be played in front of their children. We explain it away as "normal" and then don't want to admit to ourselves we are doing this to our own children. Just because it's ok and "normal" at your house doesn't mean another child can clearly understand the importance of this material is inappropriate. Maybe you are wrong , just maybe your child doesn't clearly understand. How many of you actually work with a large group of children in any kind of setting, such as youth groups, classroom, or any other youth activities? Have you actually listened to their conversations. I actually do I work in a classroom with elementary age children. They say the most inappropriate things and bully each other. We do our best to redirect children as adults. But the biggest influence is the child'support home life. How can we as society punish children even for this unforgivable , horrific crime. Something isn't right with these girls. Somewhere someone dropped the ball. These girls need some serious counseling and rehabilitation. Theit home life needs to be turned upside-down. There is a problem here and the blame should not rest solely on the girls. The rest of society needs to stop and look more into what their children are doing, watching, and saying. Parents need to stop being their kids friend and start parenting. No you can't watch that, no you can't play that video game , no you can't hang out with that friend I don't know him. It's ok to say no and it's certainly is your business to know what your kid is doing inside and outside your home until YOUR child hits 18! Come on folks let's get real about this and take responsibility for what we are doing in our culture ,our society and our children.
TracyRae
So r u telling me that if my child is a student if yours and he/she fails your class - I am to hold you responsible? This - I find is the problem with today's society...No body is accountable for anything anymore...wake up people and stop making excuses for these messed up kids
e.g.
Lisa, I'm sure you think every little child who plays a team sport should get a trophy.....Children should never be disciplined.....Time out is best.....You truly have a "cult" like following from some of these freaks. Rehab? Seriously????? Let them worship" ThinMan" the rest of their lives behind bars. I will bet every dollar I will ever make that you forgive child molesters because they can be rehabilitated. I'm just glad I came across your opinion on a serious topic and will never read any comment you ever have to say on ANYTHING AGAIN.
Tina Grace
I completely agree with the author and this article. This makes complete sense. I don't even comprehend how anyone can even consider charging a child as an adult. That's a crime in itself and people disgust me.
john
Why change the rules only caused their white
TracyRae
R u freaken kidding me dude...how and why would u make such a moronic statement like this...
Fred Hiltenbrandt
I loved your article. And do you see what I mean? As a child it @ times would get a little too creepy. Ten if written in Spanish and read in English is short and blunt of lives outcome. No pun or joke intended. I think you're great for noticing!, I hope that we can keep in touch on childrens rights issues. I believe an opportunity for your expert advise is very much helpful and needed in these times. Thanks again. This is nothing if you digg a little deeper it would explain some of my concerns to serve help those that get lost in that reflection of language. Keep me in mind if anything that comes up if I can be of any help. Have a good day.
mother0f4
This is not a case if a 12 yr old stilling a car or doing drugs they planned this out wanting this girl to suffer and die. Studies show that if a child is abusive towards an animal most likely they will grow up and be worse to humas. Do you not think that these girls will be worse as adults, that they will think they gotten away with it once they can get away with it again. I feel for all the parents involved because you do not have to come from a messed up home, young girls can the sneakest and make it look like they are not doing anything wrong. Most likely they found it exciting planning this and getting away with it. Do I believe 25 to life in prison is fitting No, do I believe they need to be locked up till 18 then in an institution so they can not hurt again Yes. To many people are murdered, rapped, ext by a convict that got out of prison when they should of stayed in prison. You might fight for them to get off because they are children but if they end up doing it again then what, what if they strike again and its your child this time. I believe that God can change anyone, but it is scary because you just don't know if they will strike again or not .
Jill
This author has lost their mind. My now 14yo daughter was a huge fan of Slenderman at the age of 12 and so were all of her friends. At no time did she or any of her friends plot to kill anyone. She an I just spoke about this case. She said something is seriously wrong with those girls and she hopes they throw away the key. She said, and I quote, “ You cannot say they didn't know what they were doing because I was very aware of right and wrong at that age. They wanted to kill her, Mom. That's just twisted and they should be treated like adults because they committed an adult crime. Twisted. Thank God I have you and Dad. I wonder what kind of home life they have that makes them so different? How can I love horror and everything creepy, demons, ghosts, etc, but would never think of harming anyone, I just want to write about it and people like them just want to kill?" I think that's a very good question.
M
I would never want Lisa Bloom as my legal advisor. Are you for real? You better hope this article doesn't circulate too much. You've made yourself look like an idiot. An innocent child was stabbed my malicious, psychotic preteens. If they ever see the light of day, it will be too soon.
Ann
First I would like to start off with Lisa Bloom should apologize to the ACTUAL victim in this case by calling her attackers "the victims" Are you kidding me? They are the "victims"!?! I have a 12 year old daughter and when I told her about this story and Explained they may be charged as adults, She looked at me and said "MAY ?....They SHOULD be charged as adults" Now if my 12 year old girl understands Thou Shall Not Kill...and if you do kill you should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, I think those girls should have known better at that age as well. It was premeditated and the arguement about "understanding their Miranda rights" is BS. There is no doubt they did the crime. The actual victim identified them and they admitted to it. Why does this have to be complicated? IT WASN'T AN ACCIDENT. Toss them in jail and throw away the key to keep the victim and the rest of the public safe.
bec
Premeditated attempted murder is just that. At 12, they know better. To the person who said "maybe she was a bully" did you read the whole story? Regardless, I was bullied from 6th grade til the day of graduation, worst thing I did? Hurt MYSELF, and shove a boy who'd tortured me since I moved in to town.
What these girls need is Juvenile Hall till 18, then at least 5 years in prison, with HEAVY psychological evaluation and therapy the entire time. At the end of the 5 year prison sentence, re-evaluate and go from there based on their individual cases.
For the girl who didn't want to be there, at 12 I was put in a dangerous situation that made me scared and I felt it was wrong, I knew I'd get in trouble and probably hurt. I won't go in to details as it was personal but I actually did back out, I knew better, I knew right from wrong, and knew the disappointed look s my parents would have for me was enough to make me back off.
Maybe it was being an only child of two devoted military parents, but I KNEW right from wrong young. Does that mean all kids do, probably not, but if they know enough about adult things to attempt premeditated murder, then they need to do some of the time for it. Plain and simple.
Amazingly Adept
Its amazing these girls are being demanded they are treated as adults in this matter but the moment that a 12,13,14,15,16,17 year old girl(or guy for that matter) give up her coochie to an older guy...oMFG, the sky is falling and how could that pervert have taken my baby away from me. A double standard purported by two faced idiots as usual. You cannot have it both ways when its convienent only for your argument's sake.
I used the underage example because its very common and well publicized but could apply this same template to drinking, theft, assult or a number of crimes.
dj
We know they aren't adults but, like one commentor said if we only slap them on the hand the next wave of lawless children will be even worst! See, it's not just brain development that determines a child as a child. It's also innocence. These kids planned, kept secret, and executed a premeditated murder plot. That's the end game when proven.
On another note, George Carlon said it best, a young nut grows into an adult nut. 1 though 8 I'll give you a "don't know any better" pass. 8 through 12 is Grey area, can go either way. 12 to 15 not only do you know better, you're smart enough to think that because of your age you can do and get away with anything. That's a childish point of view, but society and this article is proving them right. And that's what's scary. Adult prison? No they shouldn't be there, but neither should they be in some kind of hand holding teen center where it doesn't even feel like a punishment.
... I don't honestly don't know. I guess that's why the judges make the big bucks.
Mark
Do you people know that keeping juveniles in jail in this country is big business. They actually make billions of of dollars in the United States Of America incarcerating juvenile offenders. No to mention the possibility of these young girls getting raped in jail before they're sixteen and that's by the gaurds. Because you're kidding yourselves if you think the young female offenders are only going to be gaurded by female corrections officers. Well your wrong, an adults brain isn't fully developed until the age of 26 and if anyone believes for one minute these TWELVE YEAR OLDS ACTUALLY NEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. THEY NEED THEIR HEAD LOOKED AT.
TracyRae
Ok - so what do you suggest? You want to keep them in the comforts of their own home and continue to walk around on this earth among your children (if u have any) and mine? Well I don't want them around my children. I mean what is your point in your statement because this is a known fact - and guess what - the type I'd behavior and monies you are talking about is the same of any instituion...
John
Guilty as charged hang em both
Kristin
No one can ever convince me, having once been a twelve year old girl myself, and an unhappy one at that, that these girls were operating in tandem under a shared delusion for months prior to actually stabbing a friend. This is not a case of misguided, sick kids who deserve special consideration. This was a predatory act against an easy target, and I believe they never expected to be caught. In my opinion, their ability to consider long term consequences is totally irrelevant. What matters is the threat they pose to the general public, having already proven what they're capable of, should they be released. Even in a situation where one of the girls was coerced, the total lack of judgment she displayed is as dangerous as the psychotic premeditated violence of the mastermind. Yes, they should be tried as adults. I don't want my children walking around in the same world as these people in ten, twenty years, or ever. Rehabilitation can be a reality, but it's important to also realize that people learn how to manipulate the system more than they truly heal, learn or change. I feel terrible for everyone involved, but the sad reality is, they will never be able to take back what they have done. I can't think of a sane person who would risk having a person who has done something like this around their own child, unsupervised, even after ten years of therapy in a correctional facility. It's not about punishment, but about risking the safety of others on the chance that they could recover. Thank goodness no one died.
TracyRae
Very well put ...
Rachelle knapp
I agree!! Children today are very smart!!!they will tell you themselves they can do what they want because they won't/CANT get in trouble!!!
If they do adult crimes they charged the way an adult would!!!
kelly
A very very sick couple of kids who planned this for a long time.they knew Right from wrong, were educated, nothing has come out that they were delusional, on drugs, or severely abused.every day children and teens are tried as adults for foolish behavior, drunk driving, gang fights, and given life in prison. It's American law.Where is your article for them? Nobody cares until they are little White blonde girls. At 12 I had my own business walking dogs etc and took care of my self and siblings and pets. I was plenty old enough to understand everything I did, and I was poor and neglected, not spoiled. Twelve year olds understand, or this would happen every day. Who amongst us at twelve had the thought cross our mind to stab a friend. They didn't get in a fight with her and push her down stairs without thinking..Think deeply on what type of sociopath could plunge a knife in an out of a little girl nineteen times while they screamed and blood gushed out. That is not someone who can be reprogrammed, nor do the rest of us deserve to live with them walking around free.what if she had bled to death and they decided since they didn't get caught they'd kill more? And Miranda only needs to be read, not understood.that's why we have trials and lawyers.otherwise every adult could say that they don't understand and not be tried. Article just wanted to get hits and throw out a lot of cutesy buzzwords.not based in a knowledge of mental issues or legal precedence.at the least they need to be held in a secure mental intuition for life.And if you care so much about children being tried as a adults,I guess it's a good thing you're completely oblivious to how many non cute-white kids are convicted day after day.
redrobin
Crime is crime!
redrobin
All I have to say is my daughter is 3. Sometimes she will see part of a law and order or criminal minds episode. Guess what.... anytime there is a dead body she recognizes and comprehends what she says. She even knows if someone had a gun they may get shot and die or a knife or a rope or whatever the situation. If my child was one of the girls who did crime would I WANT her to rot in prison no. But SHOULD she yes!
Phillip Beatty
This author has obviously never been to Somolia or any African nation, nor has she been to Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, ... I could list 20 more countries that treat 12 year olds as adults. Many cultures even enlist them as militants.
Ever seen a 7 year-old with an AK-47? ..... I have.
thuglife
Perhaps they should get trial by combat.
Jacob
These two young girls have committed an act which is heinous and vile in its own merit. Study after study has shown that the earlier the onset of criminal behavior presents itself, the propensity of further crimes increases. These two people place the community's safety at risk and should not be treated as a child who merely got into a fight. They should never be allowed the opportunity to harm someone else.
Ash
I also do not think they should be tried as adults! Why? BECAUSE THEY ARENT ADULTS! duh! It makes me sick to hear some people put down these girls acting like they should get adult death penalty...... Which one of u know the whole exact story? That's right NONE of u! Mayb the girl they hurt or wanted to go away was mean to them or bullied them who knows right? So before u make assumptions on what should b done with these girls....... Go worry bout making sure ur child don't do this in the next ten years cause chances are just as high as this incident! Get help people before helps gets you!
Ash
Ok ok ok why in the hell are 12 year olds planning this kinda mind manipulation anyways? Do these girls have any real adults to talk to? Where are all the school counselors? Were they on prescription mess? What? Why aren't they swinging at the park or swimming at the pool or playing store or house like I did back in the day? Come the hell on people!!!!! We and more importantly our children's lives are worthless with this kinda crisis in the u.s I mean don't tell me none of u see the change that has happened just from 5 to 10 years ago!!!??? Either there are a lot of stupid asses out there or else people are being manipulated so bad that their own thoughts aren't even their own ne more! Wake the hell up before u see nothing but dirt when ur burried 6 ft under ground then what will u have to live for? That's right!
carrie
Trying kids as adults came about because kids
who were say 15 committed horrible crimes, be sentenced to juvie and be released at 18 and people felt that just wasn't right given the crime. It was too short of a time and I agree. Yet I shudder to think of some of the dumb things I did as a child/teenager. And to have to be in prison for life BC of something you did at that age just doesn't seem right either. If science has proved that teenagers brains are still forming, how can we say that this teen is just a murderer for life, all he/she will ever be and that their whole life should go down the drain now BC of a really bad choice. There has to be a middle ground. These girls don't need prison, they need Jesus and an exorcism. Lol....sorry. Seriously, couldn't hurt. But in addition to that, they need some serious counseling and rehabilitation. And I agree with the writer regarding the lack of parental supervision. I understand kids are sneaky and we as parents cannot know everything they are doing every moment of the day. However, mental obssesion/lack of discernment between fantasy and reality do not happen overnight. This is a warped view developed over time. So how/when/where are these girls receiving access to such sites for so long. How come these girls didn't understand murder is wrong? Someone failed to teach them. If someone suggest to my kid to stab someone to near death, my kid would look at u like u had 2 heads and not participate. Why? Because he and she know that murder is wrong. I don't believe in every case the parents are at fault, but in this case, someone dropped the ball. These parents need to seriously be looked at. The whole thing is just tragic and senseless. Such a different time now.
Matt Tyler
I love the comments. Most are simply hell-bent on revenge as if that will make them feel better. Let's go ahead and start treating 12 year olds who "have the minds of adults" as adults. The moment they do something "adult" we'll let them have sex with 40 year old men, buy alcohol, drive, rent an apartment, etc. Using the logic of most commenters here this is what we should do. It is obvious that most of you know nothing about child brain development, nor do you have any concept of the legalramifications of allowing 12 year olds to be charged as adults. I found most of the comments here ignorant at best. And I will never be confused with a bleeding-heart liberal, so don't attempt to label me. What I am is a corrections system survivor and have studied childhood brain development in depth. It is startling to see so many people respond like this. Unfortunately there are a lot of people in this country who believe that revenge is the reason the prison industrial complex exists whether it be juvenile or adult. I pity the unread, closed-minded posters here. Hell, let's just butcher them in the old town square. That'll teach 'em.
Ancient
"derogation" Ms. Bloom? Really?
Get a better editor since the word should have been "dereliction".
In reply to 'mark', it would break my heart and destroy my soul to know that my daughter had done this. I would absolutely feel responsible. I would also support my daughter in every way I knew how... to face and accept full responsibility for her actions. I would want her treated fairly and justly. I would want her to go to prison for attempted murder if it was proven that she was of sound mind. I remember my many terrible thoughts and deeds at 12, but none were so significantly violent as to repeatedly stab ANYTHING flesh-like or living with a knife so repeatedly with the deliberate attempt to kill.
Protect the people, lock them away.
Joe
This article is crap. First of, since the victim didn't die, life in prison won't be an option. Second, a 12 year old knows the difference between right and wrong. If it was an accidental stabbing during horseplay where it was just a really stupid mistake, then that is a different story. This was planned. This was executed according to the plan. This was extremely brutal. Stabbing someone once is bad, but 19 times? Every 12 year old has fallen, or otherwise hurt themselves and bled. If they had any empathy they would see the blood and quit. These 2 girls are missing something upstairs and need to be kept away from others. Slapping them on the wrist isn't good enough. Let's say we treat them as kids. They might spend some time in juvi but would most likely be out before they turn 18. If tried as an adult, they would be in juvi until they reach 18, then sent to prison for the remainder of their sentence.
Eric
I am absolutely stunned at the imbecilic stupidity of most of your comments. This is NOT about right & wrong, it has NOTHING to do with committing an "adult" crime, & planning/premeditation has absolutely ZERO to do with this topic!!! You all are completely missing the basic point & sentencing these CHILDREN based on emotionally charged opinions that you are forming from your ADULT perspective & ADULT understanding of long term reality.
I don't care how smart you think 12yr olds are or can be, they are not emotionally developed enough to truly understand the depth & permanence of concepts like death, preciousness of life, long term foresight, personal responsibility for unchangeable life long decisions. At 12yrs old a year seems like forever!! 20yr olds are ancient!! Birthday's & holidays are lifetimes apart!!
They're children, they don't actually get it!! They can regurgitate the definitions of these concepts, they can tell you what their parents have "beaten" into their heads about them, what they're "supposed to" or "not supposed to" do, & they understand right & wrong as far as the consequence of "being in trouble" &/or disappointing their parents.. But actually understanding them & emotionally being able to connect with these actions to make mature, adult, accountable decisions is just not something that a 12yr old is truly capable of doing!! No matter how smart! It's not about smarts! It's about childhood immaturity, development, & what makes a child a child versus an adult!
I have a 19yr old daughter that skipped 3 grades & started college at 16. At 12 she was WAY beyond her years compared to any other kids her age. But I never forgot that she was a child no matter how smart & we've regularly discuss topics that are on these exact subject lines. She will be the first to tell you that at 12 she thought she was smart, at 14 she thought she understood it all, at 16 she graduated & thought she knew it all, & at 19 she's realizing that at NONE of those times was she even close to understanding or grasping life's concepts on an adult level.
A 12yr old is not mature enough to be capable of understanding all the adult concepts & permanence involved with the decisions they make no matter how stupid, illogical, wrong, or simple those decisions may seem to adults, PERIOD!!!! THEY'RE CHILDREN!!!
(P.S. - Please pay attention to what you read before opening your mouths & revealing your ignorance... Our good 'ole US of A is the harshest DEVELOPED country, not the harshest country on child prosecution. BIG difference people!!!).
john
I agree with the article. We should give these gives a few weeks in juvenile hall. Then maybe a few dozen, strike that, less than ten hours picking up trash. Finish it off with a psychiatric evaluation and all you can eat ice cream on the way home. Maybe get them to write dual essays on how they feel really bad for their victim didn't die and ruined their chances to be in their mansion.
They'll probably be teens by the time their sentencing trials are completed. I'm pretty sure those stab wounds won't even have begun to fade by then.
Roxanne
I believe the parents/guardians of the girls should be held accountable. Along with the game makers of Slenderman. I have 6 year old son that fumbled upon the commentaries of this game on youtube. I immediately banded him from going on youtube to jump from gameplay to gameplay. Parents must pay attention to what their children are watching and playing. And whoever allows these types of games to be put on the market should be more conscientous of what they approving. Overall, the girls should be charged as adults.
LD
The majority of American Children under the age of 14 do not fully comprehend consequences to the extent of "life in prison".
As parents its our responsibility to teach,nurture,provide and protect our off -spring and our community.
. The families affected by this heinous crime must all be completely devastated. However, as a community it is our responsibility to protect others and find resolution.
. The parents shall be investigated. Any neglect, or proven poor judgment on the parts of the parent(s) ; should deem the parent(s) be held accountable as such. Allowing our children to watch or play fantasy games inappropriate to their age or more important maturity becomes a "shame on the parent " not protecting the innocent. Two young children did not just plan and carry out such an event without being exposed to things outside of "The Norm." As a country it's time to step back and take a hard long look at what we allow our children to be exposures to, what our judicial system represents, our every gowning need for quality mental health services.
. Ask yourselves what do "WE THE PEOPLE" need to change to protect our innocent children.
mark
Everyone wants to go straight for "if your child was the victim, wouldn't you want these kids tried as adults?" Wrong question. If your child was accused of this, can you look a live human in the eye and tell them you want them tried as adults and facing adult time? You are straight up lying if you say you would.
It is crazy and heartless to try these kids as adults. I live in Kentucky and we don't treat kids this way. Shame on you for your thoughtlessness. Lisa is completely right.
mike
They may be kids but that doesnt over shadow what they did. There is something seriously wrong with them and there is no place in society for these girls. The author is a fool to think otherwise.
felicia
I have a 12 year old girl and yes, she is silly and funny and believes in vampires and werewolves and falls in love with every little boy she sees. She also plays the slender man game and knows that it's a GAME, a fictional character. And she also knows the difference between right and wrong. She understands the long term consequences of STABBING SOMEONE 19 TIMES!!! It is utterly ridiculous to suggest that a 12 year old cannot understand that. They knew that stabbing her could cause her demise, which is what they intended. Thankfully, their plan failed. These little girls have something evil inside if them and you better believe if they are not removed from society, they will do it again. And the next little girl may not be so lucky.
Jesse
The problem is with our American culture, we don't believe in a justice system, we want a vengeance system. There is no such thing as an adult crime... crime is crime. But there is a distinction between children and adults. Trying children as adults is wrong, sentencing children to life in prison is wrong.
larry
First thing I want to say is. If found guilty they will not be sent to an adult prison. They will have to come of age first. Second is as one poster put it. One of the girls did not want to do this. So why did she not tell the other girl don't come. Or try to stop the other girl. Or go straight home and tell her parents so they could send help. If that child was brought up in a loving home then she knew right from wrong. You have to look at the brutality of the crime to help make a call on how they should be prosecuted. In this case it was planned And executed. Now they must pay for what they did. ? What age is old enough to be prosecuted as an adult. 14-15-16. There still children. They will not spend the rest of there life in prison. At worst case they will be out by 25. Plenty of time to think of what they did
Marisa
Everybody is talking about these 12 yr olds, like they didn't know the difference between right and wrong and it's easy to blame the parents. It's not fair to the parents as we have all seen with other cases, some Kids r raised in church by great parents who later say what did I do wrong , enough is enough these girls could have stopped at anytime they had plenty of time to plan these horrible act, why not think awe maybe these is wrong, instead let's think about how each parent would feel if your child got stabbed and u sat there in the hospital wondering if your previous child would live or die . That's something I don't wish on my worse enemy. I don't feel sorry for these girls they could have reach out to anybody , but instead they chose to go ahead and act out there plan, has anybody thought of that poor child that survived thank God what's her future going to b like, she will never feel safe, never mind trusting the scars will b a constant reminder for the rest of her life she is also living a life sentence throught no fault of hers, those girls deserve what they get and more.
me
They're children and should be looked upon as such.....They need psychological help not rot in prison for the rest of their lives....in a society where we believe adult murders, rapist, and pedophiles can be rehabilitated, why can't we give 2 very young girls the same chance on receiving the help they need.
lindah
These might be 12 yr olds but they knew what they were doing. America has more juvenile crimes because of all the stinking liberals and tree huggers wannabe a friend not a parent ppl. Other countries have mom and dad in the homes and discipline their young. Look at our leaders that are throwing America away. Grow up and take responsibility!!! God said to discipline your kids and raise them in the Lord. America has taken God out of everything and now we reap what we have sown!!
Simone
I agree with Lisa.
Where I come from (Germany) 14 is the age of criminal responsibility, although a Family Court can order measures, e.g. taking custody away from the parents, mental evaluation and treatment, etc.
In any case, the parents would be tried for neglect to parental responsibility and be liable for any damages caused by their offspring.
Angelica
They committed an adult crime and it was premeditated. They deserve to be charged as adults. I don't want these girls back out on our streets in the next 10 years. They are disturbed. the one held the victim down and Told the other girl to "go crazy". You think that should be treated as a child?! You've Got to be kidding me. 1mm away from death. Death!!!! there is no excuse for their crime. Especially not age. oh and to the comment about not understanding death at that age, my daughter is 4 and understands it. I had lost a friend at 8 and I understood what death and dying was. At 12 there is no excuse to not understand the meaning of death. People need to stop making excuses for them.
Ashley
To all the people who believe these girls shouldn't be treated as adults, you should take a moment and think to yourselves how you would feel if the tables were turned and that was your daughter being betrayed and tortured by so called "bestfriends". How would all of you honestly feel if it was your daughter fighting for her life, would you still agree with them being tried as juveniles? I'm grateful that the young lady who had to go through this awful experience survived. But the things that happened to her will more than likely follow her for the rest of her life. Just because she is alive doesn't mean those two little girls didn't rob her of her life, things will never be the same for her and that is a shame. And one last question if this little girl would have succumbed to her injuries, would your opinions stay the same?
Kate
This is incredibly stupid. At twelve years old I was in my junior year of high school, a published author and got a nearly perfect SAT score. And at twelve years old my sister was in fifth grade and still acted like a child. Age should never matter, the intent and the crime should matter. I'm of the opinion that we should remove the juvenile justice system from this country entirely, and have all people be tried as adults, regardless of age. Children shouldn't be excused from the full consequence because of a small factor like what year they began breathing oxygen. They should be treated, tried and sentenced like adults because both their behavior and crime were adult.
Bob A Merican
The whole "charging children as adults" option never made sense to me...i mean how did someone even think up that sh*t. We have adults and children.....AND.....we have adult punishment and we have children punishment, period! Why doesn't it work the other way then - say twenty-something commits murder and proves to be immature; try him as a child.....NO, because that's stupid, right....exactly!
Sam
This is ridiculous! And I'm sorry but how can you compare a five year old to a to a twelve year old...these girls knew what they were doing, the bottom line is they know right from wrong. If they get a slap on the wrist your pretty much telling every minor that it's ok to commit major crimes as long as your not technically fully developed. What about the innocent little girl that almost died because of there selfless actions what about there family. I understand that they are so young but that should NOT mean that they don't have the same consequences as any other person and I'm sorry but if your children are watching such things on the internet or TV already I'm sure that they have come to realize that trying to commit murder is not ok as we'll
me
Are you kidding me? If it was your child being stabbed 19 times, suffering and scared and almost dying would you not want the harshest sentence out there? Im sorry but 10 year olds are into music and dance and not into cult killings and if they are they need to be locked up!
Tammie
I think the point she was actually trying to make was where were the parents in all this? Why weren't the girls being supervised by the parents? The parents have more culpability in this for not having a clue what their kids were doing. If you don't want to be a parent and actually engage with your kids, know what they are doing, and teach them morals and values, then you shouldn't have had kids in the first place.
Melissa Bertling
12 years old is a child. We have a juvenile system in place to handle children who have committed crimes big and small (NO EXCEPTIONS). One of the girls, I have known for years, and I can tell you there is no way she would comprehend a maranda right. I also know that that same girl has wonderful, and very involved parents, so looking into the home for evidence of mental illness makes no sense at all. You will find a clean home, parents who are interested in their children's lives, reliable and good people. The line between understandig fantasy vs reality is one that many children have difficulty deciphering. The girls undoubtingly need to be locked up for this crime, and also rehabilitated; but most definitely not thrown in a prison of ADULTS. The act of this incident is not necessarily one of adult, rather humans in general. People of all shapes, sizes, and age act out on negative impulses, that does not deem a chid an adult. Throwing children into an adult system leaves no room for rehabilitation. One of twonof these children wanted to back out of this, and also didnt actually "do" the crime, rather was there and scared. The same child showed remorse and confusion. Is that child then of sound mind and able to decision make? Is that child unable to be rehabilitated and perhaps able to be paroled in adulthood and live a life of never repeating? Could it be that she maybe was bullied too much and not accepted by her peers, and perhaps wanted to be accepted and didnt know how? There are so many variables, but putting kids in a prison with adults who can sexually and physically abuse them, will only encourage more pain in this world. That is not a solution. If you research, you will find an adult who abuses or kills a child will get a lesser sentence than a child who does similar. Children at 11-17 are just gaining ability to use logic and reasoning, but as we all know from once being a child, that skill doesnt seem polished until our late 20s. Think before busting out the lynch mob on kids. This as well as all the school shootings are a warning of the pain in our children. Ultimately it comes down to the increased severity of bullying. Teach tour children well! Teach them to not hurt and judge, not to bully, and model that behavior. This is the real problem
amanda
First of all ,thank god the victim survived. The two girls that stabbed the victim has to have a mental issue. And I also agree with one commentator these two girls were not getting attention from their parents at home didn't know the difference between life and deayh they likely never held a bible. I believe these girls should be punished ,a mental evaluation by an expert psychiatrist and treated as found but not left to rotten in an institution. At the age of twelve a child can be rehabilitated .some children don't think death exist ,they likely thought it was a game a crime that fits the fantasy they were living. At twelve you never think you are going to die. The American society is too busy trying to put food on the table and kids are unsupervised and they turn to internet to find friends which turns into tragedy .To maintain a family both parents have to work and our kids are hungry for love and attention.
Betty
This article is ridiculous. I have seen students with loving families and great home environments do stupid things like this. It doesn't matter if you block websites and shelter your children from these things at home. They are going to find a way to do them anyways. These girls knew what they wanted to do and followed through with the plan. They should pay for what they did. If you were the parent of the girl lying in the hospital that almost died you would also what justice for your child. Think before you post articles that betray these vicious girls as angels. Do your research first. Look at the school shootings the bullying in schools now a days. There is no difference in if they come from a good home or not. Get real.
Cable
I understand the sensitivity around treating these girls as adults. Unfortunately, attempted murder is a heinous crime. It should be met with serious consequences. Also, the lack of a morale compass, whether not addressed in home rearing or lack of a proper environment should be addressed as well. At 12 years of age, one should know the difference between right and wrong, especially when it comes to murder.
terry provenzano
These girls obviously plotted and acted like adults.The court system is correct in charging them as such.THE change that does need to happen is the repeal of laws treating people 12 through 18 as children when in fact they are full blown members of the tribe
The special.interest groups responsible for these laws have left us with a very confused and.patchwork system as shown by this case
wake the f* up
Are you serious, no other other country has harsher punishments for children??? Does this author not watch the world news???
cqsallie
We persist in thinking that 12-year-olds are adults in one frame of reference and children in another. Did these girls know the difference between right and wrong? Did they understand that stabbing someone 19 times wasn't just a bit abnormal? What 12-year old doesn't? What buffoonery is at work, here? Are we far removed from the Salem days when 12-year olds gave testimony about the witches they blamed for their evil thoughts (which were relatively tame by comparison.
I'm frankly tired of it. These girls knew what they were doing.
Ak
This is ridiculous. Commuting an adult crime results in adult consequences...if for ANY reason the prosecution feels the need to go gently in these girls, their parents should be charged with the brunt of the sentence due to their negligence in raising such children.
Kelly
I agree, this is one of the dumbest articles I have ever read. They may have been 12 but they knew how to plot and plan. I'm sure there were many other kids that read about the same creature online and they knew it wasn't real.
Richard Watkins
I completely agree with Lisa Bloom. The severity of the crime has nothing to do with the maturity of the child, and if it did it would mean exactly the opposite. The worse the crime the more disturbed they are . If you put a machine gun in the hands of a five-year-old they might accidentally spray bullits around and kill 20 people . Would you treat that baby as an adult mass murderer? Of course not. The facts of this crime demonstrate the emotional aberration of these girls, and the abuse, or lack of proper adult care they received. Children raised with a minimum of love and reasonable care, do not act this way. Investigate their home environment, and you'll know exactly why they did this.
lance
The first role of incarceration is NOT to treat perps as they or their sycophants believe they ought be, nor is it to rehabilitate. the primary role of incarceration must be to protect society at large from people who have proven themselves to be a bonafide threat. if two people who.planned and executed a heinous, painful death plot based on the urgings of an internet meme do not fit that model, no one does.
Monica
I couldn't agree more with that comment
Yosemite
If a child has the mind of an adult, she is an adult.
Justin
That was to Michael not this ridiculous article.
Justin
Yes yes yes everything you said.
Stasi
They may be 12. But guess what they commited an adult crime. They deserve to be in prison for a long time. Furthermore you can't blame video games horror movie or anything else. Those girl PLANNED to kill this girl for MONTHS. They are old enough to try and kill someone then they're old enough to pay for their crime by going to prison. I don't feel 1ounce of saying that. I feel sorry for the parents and that little girl who almost died at the hands of her best friends. Those girls get everything they deserve for the rest of there lives!!! And you can convince me otherwise. Period.
Michael
This is the dumbest thing I have ever read. You act like it's a whole "kids will be kids" situation. They might only be 12 years old, but why on earth would that make this crime any less violent and insane?! They plotted this for MONTHS and stabbed their best friend NINETEEN times and left her for dead!! You act like this is just some silly little experiment like when you are your friends did séances as children. You blame them being charged as adults as a fault of the legal system when they conspired and attempted murder!?