11 Year Old Babysitter Accused of Killing Toddler

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A two-year old girl died Saturday night and Sandy Springs police are charging her 11 year-old babysitter with murder.  Little Zyda White died of a severe head wound and other injuries, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Police interviewed the babysitter, who allegedly told them the toddler fell off a bed, but they believe the injuries were not accidental. Zyda's mother called 911 as soon as she picked up her daughter late Saturday and saw her condition.  She told reporters Tuesday afternoon that she wants the babysitter to spend the rest of her life in prison. While police are charging the 11-year old with felony murder and cruelty to children, the charges could be modified by the Fulton County D.A.  Under Georgia law, children under 13 must be tried in juvenile court. Readers commenting on 11alive.com questioned why an 11 year old child was caring for a 2-year old.

Advocacy Group Petitions to Change GA’s Juvenile Code

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A national advocacy group is pushing a petition campaign for passage of a new juvenile code in Georgia. Change.org, a national website that provides daily news and information about social justice issues, is circulating an online petition in support of SB 292. According to the website, 38 people have signed up in support. Among many issues, the state bill focuses on:

Keeping kids tried as adults in juvenile detention centers until they turn 17, rather than putting them in adult prison. (Supporters say this will help protect incarcerated children from being victimized behind bars).

Former Hall County School Bus Driver, Minister Sentenced To Six Years For Child Pornography

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A former Hall County school bus driver and self-described “Patriot Preacher” will spend the next six years behind bars for distributing, receiving and possessing hundreds of images of child pornography. Senior United States District Court Judge William C. O'Kelley handed down the sentence Friday to John Cooper Spinks, 41, of Oakwood, Georgia. His punishment also includes 20 years of supervised release and a $2,000 fine. There is no parole in the federal system. “As a school bus driver, this defendant was in daily contact with the children of Hall County,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.

Barnes, Deal Oppose Changes in Juvenile Code, Favor Split-Jury Death Sentences

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Candidates for governor in Georgia favor tough laws for kids who commit adult crimes, and oppose some proposed changes in the juvenile code. According to the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, both Roy Barnes and Nathan Deal are against extending juvenile status to 17-year olds, who are currently tried as adults in Georgia.  While the issue of raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction came up for discussion at a Senate hearing several weeks ago, it's important to note that SB292 does not contain any such language. The candidates also share the position that juries should be allowed to impose the death penalty without a unanimous decision. Both men have worked as prosecuting attorneys, and Deal is a former juvenile court judge.

FDA Panel Rejects Plan to Curb Teen RoboTripping

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Cough medicines containing dextromethorphan will continue to be sold over-the-counter, despite concerns that some young people are using it to get high.  A panel of Food and Drug Administration experts has voted against a proposal that would require a doctor’s prescription to buy Robitussin and 140 other cough medicines. Medical News Today reports some panel members were concerned the move would create too much paperwork for pharmacists and clinics. When taken in high doses, cough medicines can cause euphoria and hallucinations. Teens abuse it because it’s cheap and easy to get.  But sometimes the trip goes bad, with nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat and numbness. How big is the abuse problem?

Juvenile Justice Forum Encourages Agency Collaboration

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It was a chance meeting, but highly impactful. Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Commissioner Garland Hunt struck up what he expected to be a casual conversation on an elevator Tuesday. It turns out the man alongside him worked as a prosecutor in the state and had a lot to say to the newly appointed DJJ chief. “He told me that ‘I know you all want to help out the (incarcerated) kids, but I get to see the victims every day,” says Hunt, who took his post in May. “Don’t forget the victims too.’ I think it was great for me to have that conversation; to be reminded of that fact and to keep that in the forefront of my mind as I make decisions every day.”

Such dialogue – and more importantly creating an opportunity for representatives from various agencies across the state to communicate and collaborate formally and informally – was at the heart of a Juvenile Justice Forum held this week at the Lake Lanier Islands Resort in Buford.

Zero Tolerance, Zero Common Sense? Author Proposes Widespread School Security Reform

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Police officers, armed security guards, surveillance cameras and metal detectors are now commonplace at schools across the country. They go hand in hand with zero tolerance polices adopted by school systems in the wake of highly publicized outbreaks of violence. In a new book, Homeroom Security: School Discipline in an Age of Fear author Aaron Kupchik argues that these polices need to be reassessed to include some flexibility and more common sense. Research at four public high schools helped shaped Kupchik’s argument. He compiled more than 100 hours of interviews with students, administrators,  teachers and police officers assigned to each of the schools located in the nation’s Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Teen’s Emotions End in Triple Murder

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Adults often wonder what kids are thinking when they do horrible things. The story of 17-year-old Anthony Tyrone Terrell, convicted of killing his own family, reveals a tragic thought process that came out in open court last Friday. Terrell had an argument with his mother about a girl. Rather than ending with a slammed door, Terrell killed his mother and two younger sisters. The AJC published his statement about what went on in his head:
“I never planned what happened that day,” Terrell told Superior Court Judge Debra Turner.

Boy Scouts Clamp Down on Sex Abuse

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The Boy Scouts of America appear to be taking child molestation more seriously after settling a $20 million lawsuit, according to Youth Today. In the 1980s, former Assistant Scoutmaster Timur Dykes was convicted in Oregon of abusing Boy Scouts, including former Scout Kerry Lewis. Lewis filed suit against the BSA for failing to act on “the perversion files,” confidential files that red-flagged potential molesters in Scouting. Five other victims of Dykes have also filed lawsuits against the BSA. Lewis, the first to be awarded, received $1.4 million for negligence and $18.5 million in punitive damages in April.

ACLU Challenges School Arrests

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School systems across the country will be watching as the American Civil Liberties Union confronts the New York City school district for allowing police to arrest kids for things like drawing on school desks. The ACLU is working on behalf of five kids who were arrested, claiming police used excessive force to get kids to follow school rules. In a memorandum of law, the ACLU sites cases like this:
Plaintiff L.W. was sixteen when School Safety Officers at his Queens school punched him repeatedly in the head, poked him in the eye, and handcuffed him—all because they suspected he had a cell phone, which he did not, and because he indicated that he did not want to be searched. Click here for the full memorandum.