Uvalde indictment: Bald white man in white business shirt and dark tie stands staring seriously into camera under blue sky with green trees in the background.

Former Uvalde schools police chief indicted for role in Robb Elementary shooting response

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A Uvalde County grand jury has indicted former school district police Chief Pete Arredondo and another former district officer on charges of child endangerment, the first criminal charges brought against law enforcement for the botched response to the deadliest school shooting in Texas history, the San Antonio Express-News first reported.

Arredondo and Adrian Gonzales face felony charges of abandoning or endangering a child, the newspaper reported.

The charges come more than two years after the May 24, 2022 shooting, in which a lone gunman killed 19 fourth graders and two teachers.

Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell convened a grand jury in January to investigate law enforcement’s delayed response and to determine whether to bring criminal charges against any of the nearly 400 federal, state and local officers involved in the response.

Law enforcement officers waited 77 minutes to confront the gunman, who was ultimately shot and killed by Border Patrol officers.

Families, along with community activists, have continued to push for increased transparency and accountability.

Uvalde families plead for languishing Texas gun bills: group of people in black shirts stand next to someone speaking at podium

Uvalde families plead for languishing Texas gun bills

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Parents whose children were killed in the Robb Elementary School massacre made sobbing pleads for stricter gun laws before legislators early Wednesday on languishing proposals that appeared headed to stall in the face of a Republican majority.

Juvenile detention populations low: Young black teen lies on bed with legs propped up on wall on cot in empty room with grey cement floor and white walls

‘It’s not just a jail break’: Juvenile prison populations reach all-time lows

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The number of children incarcerated in juvenile prisons across the United States fell to an all-time low in 2020, the latest year of available federal data about those facilities, fueling proponents’ hopes of entirely eliminating those detention centers. 

The decline in incarcerations came as juvenile arrests have also dropped for most crimes except murder, which has been on the rise in recent years.

Mexico border kids in cages: Lone child stands wit teddy bear holding onto chainlink fence.

Number of Kids Alone At Border Hits All-time High In March

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The U.S. government picked up nearly 19,000 children traveling alone across the Mexican border in March, authorities said Thursday, the largest monthly number ever recorded and a major test for President Joe Biden as he reverses many of his predecessor's hardline immigration tactics.

These Approaches Help Young Fathers Leaving the Criminal Justice System

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Becoming a father for the first time can be difficult for anyone, but when you do so in your teens or early 20s and have been incarcerated, it can be overwhelming. The right supports — stable housing, reliable networks, ties to employment, knowing how to build skills in fatherhood and healthy relationships — are essential.

It’s More Than Time to Raise the Age in Michigan

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In Michigan, 17-year-olds are not allowed to buy lottery tickets, get a tattoo, rent a car or hotel room or drop out of school. They can’t vote, serve on a jury or sign a legal contract either, presumably because they don’t possess the requisite maturity to make adult-level decisions. This distinction, however, is tossed out the window if a 17-year-old breaks the law. Suddenly, they are adults, facing devastating repercussions that can come with an adult conviction.