Assault?

[Angela15517]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[Zigner]

Please simply "reply to thread" and post your question. Do not use the Preview button, as it seems to be broken.

 

[Angela15517]

Question

Missouri


So we just moved to Missouri into a rental house.
It seemed like a decent neighborhood u too I met my neighbors.

So, I have always taught my children to walk away if another child is threatening them or not being nice. My children have never really had an issue with other kids other than being called a name or two. The neighbor kids have been constantly threatening my children with shooting them, "curb-stomping" them, have told me specifically that their mother doesn't care what they do, she will just come over and start shooting. They come into my yard, tried to steal my son's scooter, and when asked to leave the property, they've stepped closer and told me to "do something, bi***".

I have told my children to ignore it, I've been trying to ignore it, but my children can't even go out into the yard to play without being harassed and threatened with violence. I know that this might just be a case of "kids being kids, but it's steadily getting worse. They have thrown rocks at my house, rocks and very large sticks at my kids, just a few weeks ago they threw rocks at the neighbors house and broke the poor guys back window of his car. I've tried to speak with their mother, who, turns out, really doesn't care.

It came to a boiling point this afternoon when my middle son was walking home from the pool up the road. They ganged up on him, there were 3 or 4, and started choking him. They let go, and all of them started hitting and kicking him. He took off, and they tried to run him over on their bikes. He tried knocking on random doors (Thank God nothing happened), and then hid behind a dumpster until he thought it was safe to come out. When he did, they spotted him, and started trying to run him over again before giving him a second beating.

I asked him if he wanted me to call the police, and he said no, because he couldn't identify the boy who choked him, and didn't have any serious injuries, save for a red mark or two.

If I let him start carrying some sort of protection, could he get in trouble for that? He's never been in a fight, he's a sweet, respectable little boy. He didn't fight back because he thought he would get in trouble or go to jail. I'm so tired of seeing my children too afraid to go outside. Speaking with the mother doesn't do any good at all, and it's not like I can call the police anyway, the kid is 10 or so, I assume the others were too. I've also thought about breaking my lease. I'm seriously at my wits end here.

 

[quincy]

Missouri


So we just moved to Missouri into a rental house.
It seemed like a decent neighborhood u too I met my neighbors.

So, I have always taught my children to walk away if another child is threatening them or not being nice. My children have never really had an issue with other kids other than being called a name or two. The neighbor kids have been constantly threatening my children with shooting them, "curb-stomping" them, have told me specifically that their mother doesn't care what they do, she will just come over and start shooting. They come into my yard, tried to steal my son's scooter, and when asked to leave the property, they've stepped closer and told me to "do something, bi***".

I have told my children to ignore it, I've been trying to ignore it, but my children can't even go out into the yard to play without being harassed and threatened with violence. I know that this might just be a case of "kids being kids, but it's steadily getting worse. They have thrown rocks at my house, rocks and very large sticks at my kids, just a few weeks ago they threw rocks at the neighbors house and broke the poor guys back window of his car. I've tried to speak with their mother, who, turns out, really doesn't care.

It came to a boiling point this afternoon when my middle son was walking home from the pool up the road. They ganged up on him, there were 3 or 4, and started choking him. They let go, and all of them started hitting and kicking him. He took off, and they tried to run him over on their bikes. He tried knocking on random doors (Thank God nothing happened), and then hid behind a dumpster until he thought it was safe to come out. When he did, they spotted him, and started trying to run him over again before giving him a second beating.

I asked him if he wanted me to call the police, and he said no, because he couldn't identify the boy who choked him, and didn't have any serious injuries, save for a red mark or two.

If I let him start carrying some sort of protection, could he get in trouble for that? He's never been in a fight, he's a sweet, respectable little boy. He didn't fight back because he thought he would get in trouble or go to jail. I'm so tired of seeing my children too afraid to go outside. Speaking with the mother doesn't do any good at all, and it's not like I can call the police anyway, the kid is 10 or so, I assume the others were too. I've also thought about breaking my lease. I'm seriously at my wits end here.

Call the police. You should not let your son decide.

 

[LdiJ]

Missouri


So we just moved to Missouri into a rental house.
It seemed like a decent neighborhood u too I met my neighbors.

So, I have always taught my children to walk away if another child is threatening them or not being nice. My children have never really had an issue with other kids other than being called a name or two. The neighbor kids have been constantly threatening my children with shooting them, "curb-stomping" them, have told me specifically that their mother doesn't care what they do, she will just come over and start shooting. They come into my yard, tried to steal my son's scooter, and when asked to leave the property, they've stepped closer and told me to "do something, bi***".

I have told my children to ignore it, I've been trying to ignore it, but my children can't even go out into the yard to play without being harassed and threatened with violence. I know that this might just be a case of "kids being kids, but it's steadily getting worse. They have thrown rocks at my house, rocks and very large sticks at my kids, just a few weeks ago they threw rocks at the neighbors house and broke the poor guys back window of his car. I've tried to speak with their mother, who, turns out, really doesn't care.

It came to a boiling point this afternoon when my middle son was walking home from the pool up the road. They ganged up on him, there were 3 or 4, and started choking him. They let go, and all of them started hitting and kicking him. He took off, and they tried to run him over on their bikes. He tried knocking on random doors (Thank God nothing happened), and then hid behind a dumpster until he thought it was safe to come out. When he did, they spotted him, and started trying to run him over again before giving him a second beating.

I asked him if he wanted me to call the police, and he said no, because he couldn't identify the boy who choked him, and didn't have any serious injuries, save for a red mark or two.

If I let him start carrying some sort of protection, could he get in trouble for that? He's never been in a fight, he's a sweet, respectable little boy. He didn't fight back because he thought he would get in trouble or go to jail. I'm so tired of seeing my children too afraid to go outside. Speaking with the mother doesn't do any good at all, and it's not like I can call the police anyway, the kid is 10 or so, I assume the others were too. I've also thought about breaking my lease. I'm seriously at my wits end here.

You need to start calling the cops every time those children start being violent.

 

[Angela15517]

Can the police really do anything, though? I mean, I would imagine they would roll their eyes and treat it as a boys will be boys kind of thing.

 

[quincy]

Can the police really do anything, though? I mean, I would imagine they would roll their eyes and treat it as a boys will be boys kind of thing.

The police can speak to the parents and the children and give them warnings. The more (legitimate) police reports made, the easier it can be for you to get a restraining order against the family, a violation of which can lead to an arrest.

It is for your protection and the protection of your children that you call the police every time the actions of the other family warrant a call.

 

[cbg]

So, what's your plan for handling the situation if you don't call the police?

 

[Zigner]

So, what's your plan for handling the situation if you don't call the police?

Her desire is to simply arm the child.

 

[Angela15517]

Her desire is to simply arm the child.

No, that's not the case at all. It was a passing thought, a dumb one at that. I just didn't know if I could call the police about kids getting in to fights, seeing how they are so young. I know kids get in fights all the time, and I wouldn't worry about it if it wasn't my neighbor.

 

[Zigner]

No, that's not the case at all. It was a passing thought, a dumb one at that. I just didn't know if I could call the police about kids getting in to fights, seeing how they are so young. I know kids get in fights all the time, and I wouldn't worry about it if it wasn't my neighbor.

Ok, I'll accept that you didn't really mean that about arming the child. Please do call the police. Kids don't get in fights "all the time". I was involved in one fight in my entire childhood (not counting those with my sister). It was in 7th grade and consisted of the two of us walking around each other in a circle and trading insults for, at most, a minute. What you have described is far beyond "kids will be kids".

I would suggest that you install security cameras for additional evidence to show the police.

 

[quincy]

No, that's not the case at all. It was a passing thought, a dumb one at that. I just didn't know if I could call the police about kids getting in to fights, seeing how they are so young. I know kids get in fights all the time, and I wouldn't worry about it if it wasn't my neighbor.

Choking your son, beating and kicking your son, trying to steal your property, throwing rocks, and making threats to shoot and curb stomp your children goes beyond the typical childhood fight.

I recommend you call the police on the charming children and their mom whenever there is good reason to - and it sounds as if there is good reason to. When threatening words turn into actions (physical violence, vandalism, theft), the police can get CPS involved and you can probably get a restraining order issued against the family as a whole.