Mystified_Mom
Junior Member
What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? California. My daughter has been involved with the juvenile justice system in CA since she was 13. She will be 18 in approx 1 week. Although she had assaulted family members prior to being placed in the system, and we had turned to law enforcement officers for assistance, her initial charge was actually petty theft. She has been in and out of therapeutic placements for most of the past five years. During the six months that she was allowed to return home, she turned to drugs, prostitution, theft and assault of family members. The last time she assaulted my husband (her step-father) she claimed he had abused her. Her charges were investigated and it was determined that her siblings (now 5 and 14) were at risk from her presence in our home, and could be removed if my daughter remained in our home. The charges against my husband were found to be unfounded. This is how my daughter wound up back in placement. Each placement has terminated her due to physical assaults or threats against persons, but no charges have ever been filed. (The only charge on her record is petty theft) Her last placement terminated her because she assaulted another resident, threw a glass dish straight from the oven at the young lady, and then attempted to set her hair on fire. Thankfully, the staff was able to keep this young lady from harm each time, and obviously my daughter needed to be removed from the placement. She is currently housed at Juvenile Hall pending an available pad or soda bed. (which she has run away from in the past.) As there is no more time to serve for the petty theft charge, and she cannot be punished for the battery of the other resident at the present time (innocent until proven guilty) she will be released to the pad or soda bed/perhaps even home (She has another court date coming up--6 month review--scheduled prior to these latest outbursts) until her hearing in February. My questions are: 1) What are my obligations to her as her parent--she will be 18. I love her, but I risk losing two other minor children if she returns to our home. My husband understandably does not want her at home. 2) She was very close to 18 when she assaulted the young lady. What is the likelihood of her being charged as an adult? 3) Where can I go to get help for her--she obviously needs some sort of intervention, but finances are a major issue at the present time. 4) If she is charged as an adult will she be sent to prison? 5) If she ever does manage to turn her life around, will she be able to seal her juvenile record, or because she is still involved in the legal system, will her juvenile record be taken into consideration? Thank you for any advice you can offer. Thank you also for taking the time to read this lengthy posting.
