http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6213012.stm

A South Carolina mother has had her 12-year-old son arrested for opening his Christmas presents early.
The boy was taken into custody after his mother discovered he had entered his great-grandmother's house and taken presents from their hiding place.

The boy was handcuffed and taken to a local police station on petty larceny charges.

The boy's mother, Brandi Ervin, told the Associated Press news agency she had acted to teach her son a lesson.

"He's been going through life doing things... and getting away with it," she said.

He had repeatedly taken the present, a Nintendo video game console, from its hiding place in his great-grandmother's house.

A bit harsh don't you think?

Originally posted by devolution
A bit harsh don't you think?

I think if she is having problems with her son as she says she is, and she sees this as a way to get him on the straight and narrow, I commend her.

He has repeatedly entered his great grand mothers house and stolen the nintendo. Pretty poor form from anyone, including a 12 year old.

Good For Her

Originally posted by devolution
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6213012.stm

A bit harsh don't you think?

Yes, she should have hugged him and I'm sure he would have learned from his little misdeed and turned out to be a fine young boy

Shaun


PS ... and in 10 years you would probably read about the "poor boy" on the front page of a tabloid!

maybe cops in england have nothing better to do with their time than arrest children on trumped up charges of petty larceny, but here in america our police are busy investigating the stabbings and shootings that occur in every nook and cranny of our country.

That kid certainly did need some punishment to motivate him to change his behavior, but involving the police was ridiculous. What's next...arresting kids for pinching cookies from the cookie jar or declaring sexual harassment when they claim their classmates have cooties?*

* I assume that cooties isn't just an american cultural phenomenon, but then again I don't really think I've heard about it from any foreigners. Do kids from England, mexico, china, etc believe that members of the opposite sex have cooties?

The boy, who has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is already facing an expulsion hearing at his school for attempting to hit a police officer assigned to the school last month.

Sounds like the mother was quickly reaching the end of her rope. Obviously, the background on this case involves more than 'trumped up charges of petty larceny."

Draqon wrote:

maybe cops in england have nothing better to do with their time than arrest children on trumped up charges of petty larceny

Actually, this one's in the US:

A South Carolina mother...

unless SC has recently seceded from the Union and sought protection from the old colonial power

What's next...arresting kids for pinching cookies from the cookie jar or declaring sexual harassment when they claim their classmates have cooties?*

Perhaps you missed the story about this 'dangerous' US criminal

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...t-grader_x.htm

As for cooties - we have nits (perhaps I should rephrase that ) - are they not the same thing?

As for the British policing response to a situation like this; that's easy - slap an ASBO on them.

Not that this would make any difference though

I like the quote from this article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6107028.stm

...the Institute for Public Policy Research suggests Britain's youth are among the most badly behaved in Europe.

See, Britain can be #1 for some things!

Originally posted by draqon
[B]maybe cops in england have nothing better to do with their time than arrest children on trumped up charges of petty larceny, but here in america our police are busy investigating the stabbings and shootings that occur in every nook and cranny of our country.

That kid certainly did need some punishment to motivate him to change his behavior, but involving the police was ridiculous. [B]

Perhaps you didn't consider that this mother doesn't want her son to end up being one of the stabbers and shooters you say you have in every nook and cranny of your country?

This kid needs an attitude adjustment now. It's too late once they graduate to guns and knives.

She should have just taken the game system back to the store, got a refund and not replace the gift with another. That would teach him. Simple as that.

Christmas? bah humbug!

Ah… common guys, what’s all the fuss about, me 10 Years old playing with matches I found along at the Christmas tree inside the house about decades ago.
My father gives me a slap right in the face.

No aggravated assault by him, just a worried : " WAKE UP ".

Guess there is no father, so the boys mother was going to make up a wake up call by what ever it takes to save the boy. The neighborhood cops did it, case closed, Boy learned something. Hopefully!

I am not a big cop fan too, but while living in rural Florida, one late at night the cops showed up on my door telling me I left my headlights on and might get a problem get it going the next day.

Here in Germany; the cops drive right by take a good laugh about the fool leaving his headlight on because they don’t do what they don’t have to do! Working by the book and not by the community.
Ok, that was rural neighborhood and not uptown city.

Is she the same mother that sells cornflakes on eBay?

If the kid was in Singapore, he wouldn't even try it. Instead of getting arrested, the kid would have been caned by police officers. Ouch.