minor charged with theft-what to do?
Washington state:
Here's what's happening: My daughter, Lacey, age 16, accompanied her 18 year old friend, Tayler, to pick up some belongings from Tayler's ex-boyfriend's grandmother. They arrived, Tayler asked grandma if Lacey could use the bathroom. Grandma walked Lacey inside & down the hall to bathroom. Grandma went back to the front door then outside where she and Tayler talked & started putting things in then car. Lacey came out shortly, and began helping.
After they left, Lacey received a phone call from the grandma's daughter in Florida- Grandma states to her daughter that she had just taken her ring off before the girls arrived and put it in a box in the bathroom. After they left she apparently went to get it, (why then, as she said she removed it due to medicine she takes that makes her fingers swell...) Since Lacey was "the only one in the bathroom she had to have stolen the diamond ring and a necklace." Grandma told the police Lacey was in the bathroom a long time. Tayler said Lacey was in there about 30 seconds. Police say "it doesn't take long to be tempted to steal". Grandma's daughter in Florida is screaming and threatening my daughter over the phone.
Sheriff arrives at my home: He demands to speak to Lacey, who isn't home., He demands that I either tell him where she is or go get her. I refuse. He finally agrees to come back to see her on Tuesday when he returns to work after a couple days off.
WHAT SHOULD I DO? What should Lacey do? Sheriff says all she needs to do is give back the ring and necklace. He's convinced she took it. I don't think she did, and neither does Tayler. She has never stolen ANYTHING! But she has been in trouble for truancy and suspicion of some drug use, which the sheriff has latched onto: he asked Tayler if Lacey was "sober or high on meth", I'm assuming as a way to 'justify' why she might steal.
HELP PLEASE!! Can she really be charged with this crime?
Washington state:
Here's what's happening: My daughter, Lacey, age 16, accompanied her 18 year old friend, Tayler, to pick up some belongings from Tayler's ex-boyfriend's grandmother. They arrived, Tayler asked grandma if Lacey could use the bathroom. Grandma walked Lacey inside & down the hall to bathroom. Grandma went back to the front door then outside where she and Tayler talked & started putting things in then car. Lacey came out shortly, and began helping.
After they left, Lacey received a phone call from the grandma's daughter in Florida- Grandma states to her daughter that she had just taken her ring off before the girls arrived and put it in a box in the bathroom. After they left she apparently went to get it, (why then, as she said she removed it due to medicine she takes that makes her fingers swell...) Since Lacey was "the only one in the bathroom she had to have stolen the diamond ring and a necklace." Grandma told the police Lacey was in the bathroom a long time. Tayler said Lacey was in there about 30 seconds. Police say "it doesn't take long to be tempted to steal". Grandma's daughter in Florida is screaming and threatening my daughter over the phone.
Sheriff arrives at my home: He demands to speak to Lacey, who isn't home., He demands that I either tell him where she is or go get her. I refuse. He finally agrees to come back to see her on Tuesday when he returns to work after a couple days off.
WHAT SHOULD I DO? What should Lacey do? Sheriff says all she needs to do is give back the ring and necklace. He's convinced she took it. I don't think she did, and neither does Tayler. She has never stolen ANYTHING! But she has been in trouble for truancy and suspicion of some drug use, which the sheriff has latched onto: he asked Tayler if Lacey was "sober or high on meth", I'm assuming as a way to 'justify' why she might steal.
HELP PLEASE!! Can she really be charged with this crime?
Last edited: