Editor, Times-Union: First, I would like to thank the EMTs that took care of my son on Aug. 14. All of you that responded are truly an asset to this community. With that being said, let’s get down to the reason I am writing this letter.
On that day in August my son was assaulted by another teenager in Burket. This teen hunted and stalked my son, and when he was found, he was brutally beaten with a metal baseball bat. When I arrived on the scene, my son was in the ambulance and being attended to by the EMTs. His face was covered in blood and the panic set in. There were at least six eyewitnesses to the beating, which were all standing there watching my son being treated.
After a few minutes the county police showed up and started gathering information, as they should do. Once most of the statements and information was gathered, the teen that assaulted my son was known. At that point I figured that this teen would be arrested and charged with the crime, which should be assault with a deadly weapon. By the way, my son was hit in the head with the baseball bat, which could have very easily killed or caused permanent damage.
After I watched the officer gather all the information he needed, I headed to the hospital with my son. And after a few hours and several tests in the emergency room, the results were that my son was OK and would have some headaches associated with a concussion. So at this time I am wondering what is happening with the teen that assaulted my son. Then the officer comes in the hospital to get more information from my son. That’s when I am told that no arrests have been made and very little effort has been made to find this teen. I am no different from any parent and was getting kind of angry about this time.
The officer informs me that the report on this assault will be turned in to the prosecutor the very next day. I check the very next day and the prosecutor knows nothing. Sounds like a mistake, right? Well I wait two more days and check, still nothing. Then I am informed that because this person is underage, that the report and case is turned over to the probation office. And also that this person has a record of assaults. Notice that it’s plural, meaning more than one. So I decide that probation needs to be called to find out just what is going on. I am informed by probation, in a very “We don’t care” way, that nothing is going to be done, but I can receive restitution for the medical bills. Now at this point I am steaming mad.
So I wait for the paperwork from probation to file for restitution. Guess what? It never shows. So I head down to the probation office where I am told that there is no restitution because this person was never charged. No charges, no conviction, no restitution. But, of course, I can start a civil case at my cost.
Let’s recap here. Assault with a deadly weapon, no follow up, no charges. And this teen is walking our streets getting ready to do it again. In fact this teen sits across from the lunch table at school from my son and brags that they got away with it.
Now I ask the parents in this community: Is this right, is this something that you want your own kids to be around? It looks to me that our beloved prosecutor and probation have really lost sight of what their actual jobs are. They are in that position to protect the public, and in this case our children. From what I have witnessed and have had to deal with, the probation and prosecutor are a complete waste of our tax dollars. Or at least wasted on the wrong people in these positions.
So, parents, beware if you expect our justice and court system in this county to protect your children. Then you are dead wrong.
