Mother reports 9-year-old missing, police say he was arrested

[Rainman]

Should police arrest a 9-yr old and not notify the parents. Detroit police did just that. The third grader who had been expelled from school a few days before he was arrested, had been involved in a home invasion with an older teenager who also arrested. When the mother called to report her son missing, she was told that he'd been arrested a day earlier.

FOX 32 News Chicago

If the kid has embraced a life of crime and he's only 9 years old by the time he turns 18 . . .

 

[Gabe]

The child is a minor and should have had his parents called as soon as he was arrested. I think the police could have left a note for her, gone to the school to find the mother's work details or asked a neighbor. If the child didn't cooperate with them, there are ways to find a parent and the police either didn't bother or think. What they did was wrong which is why they have dropped the charges too so there is no case to answer, however the mother could file charges against the police for not following procedure.

 

[lushlala]

This in my opinion, was terribly shoddy! Irrespective of what the lad did, the fact remains, he's still only a minor! The police should have made a concerted effort to find his family and notified them! They're obviously spoiling for a lawsuit!

 

[Josie]

IT looks like this isn't the first time he's been in trouble and definitely won't be the last, when he looks up to the little punks in his neighbourhood. I think arresting kids like this is not the way to go. In many cases, being arrested is just a badge of honour.. street cred. He needs to be taken into a prison. I believe in those programs completely. If you can take a child into a prison to see what that's like and to talk to the prisoners about what they go through in there and the violence and shadiness.. and they come out and get in trouble.. I don't think there was any stopping them anyway. They're determined to fit in with the kids they look up to most and outside of that, I don't know what his mother should do. It sounds like she's a single, working mother, so she can't be there for him like she wants to be. I would move mountains to make sure my child ends up on the right path.. even if it meant financial hardship. I hope she figures this out..

 

[thegrey1]

Yet another case of a "parent" not knowing what her child is doing! Yes they should have notified the parents immediately. They also should try to take this kid away from his mother! I can see the scenario in about 8 or 9 years: Good boy attacks cop, good boy gets shot by cop, riots in the streets! Rinse, repeat.

 

[missbishi]

I wonder if the cops thought that his mother wouldn't be bothered? If he was already known to the cops, chances are they'd already formed their own opinion about the mother and assumed she wouldn't give two hoots where he was.

If they actually did go to her house, why on earth didn't they leave a note, asking her to call the station as soon as she got home?

 

[Diane Lane]

It's pretty obvious this child is following the wrong people, and doesn't have enough positive influences in his life. It would have been nice if someone could have stepped in sooner, whether it be a family member, friend, church member, Big Brother or other type of mentor. Unfortunately, by this time, it may be too late, but if I were the mom, I would be looking for someone to help. I have seen so many of these mothers who are often single, have several children, and if the mom works, the kids are often left to their own devices after school. Even if the mother is a hard worker who is trying to set a good example by working, the neighborhood kids/teens/hoods are influencing the child to follow them, often into delinquency and/or crime. There's a severe break down in many families, and some people are stuck living in really bad neighborhoods, which is where the negative influences often exist. This is a huge problem, and there is no one solution.

 

[thegrey1]

I agree with DianeLane, but it reminds me of way back when I was in school. There was a song by Elvis called, "In the ghetto." Our debating instructor brought up the problems of inner cities, and asked what we thought could be done about them. We all gave various heartfelt suggestions such as, taxing the "rich" and sharing the wealth, educating the parents on birth control, etc. Now after all these years, we've done all these things and more, and people are still having babies that they cannot afford, and/or do not want! So here we are again asking, "What can be done about these same problems?"

 

[missbishi]

Now after all these years, we've done all these things and more, and people are still having babies that they cannot afford, and/or do not want! So here we are again asking, "What can be done about these same problems?"

Spot on! In fact, I actually got called "selfish" the other day. Why? Because I don't ever plan on having children. It's far more selfish to have a child that you can't care for in the way it deserves to be.

Having said that, I do feel sorry for the mother. She's got no choice but to work - how else is she meant to feed, clothe and house both herself and the boy adequately if she doesn't. Sadly, this appears to have had consequences but what is she meant to do? Claim food stamps and live off welfare?

 

[Diane Lane]

What we need to do is go back to strong family units, discipline, teaching right from wrong, and positive role models. We need to eradicate gangs and drugs, and teach kids that hard work, good values, taking care of your children, and treating others with respect are admirable qualities, and that pants dragging on the ground, thuggish behavior, treating women as sperm receptacles, and disrespecting society and authority, are unacceptable. That would be a good start.

 

[JoanMcWench]

I'm not against arresting the kid AT ALL. Not in the least. I do think it would have been wise of them to contact the mother just so she knew where her child was & didn't end up worried sick.

 

[dyanmarie25]

The police officers should have called the parents right after they arrested the child. He's only a minor for Pete's sake! And what would happen now? They would put the child in jail? No, that's not the solution. This kid has been badly influenced by his peers. He doesn't need prison; he needs help to improve his values and morals.

 

[thegrey1]

Well I agree he needs SOMETHING. I don't understand why they dropped the charges against him! I agree the cops should have notified his mother, but they said the kid didn't know his own phone number! Yeah right! I guess the little snot knew his mom would be a wee bit upset over his criminal behavior. Whether they put him in Juvie, or in therapy, society is not served, and neither is he, by ignoring his on-going criminality. I recommend boot camp!

 

[missbishi]

Well I agree he needs SOMETHING. I don't understand why they dropped the charges against him! I agree the cops should have notified his mother, but they said the kid didn't know his own phone number! Yeah right! I guess the little snot knew his mom would be a wee bit upset over his criminal behavior. Whether they put him in Juvie, or in therapy, society is not served, and neither is he, by ignoring his on-going criminality. I recommend boot camp!

I wonder if it was like a plea bargain - the cops agreed to drop the charges on the condition that the mother took her complaint no further. Sadly though, I think this might only reinforce the boy's view that he can get away with things. I'm pretty sure that he needs some sort of psychiatric evaluation at the very least - this could save him from getting into serious trouble in the future.

 

[Whitewolf2578]

The parents should have been notified as soon as possible. Why are they arresting a nine year old anyway. The older kid probably told the kid he would give him a dollar if he went into another house with him. I really hate that older kids are using the younger ones in this kind of manner.

 

[IshieVonDyson]

Wow, badly-handled all around, it looks like. No doubt the kid should have been punished, but it’s mind-boggling the police didn’t bother contacting the mother. I’d have thought that would be protocol? And because of that, the kid lost out on what could have been a major life lesson.

 

[mairj23]

Why wasn't the parents notified in the first place. There has been a mistake on one end of the this, being the school or the officer. Goes to show that the school board is mishandling the students. This story is a bit weird as well.