A 12-year-old boy was caught in the act of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old female acquaintance by the
victim’s 16-year-old brother, who had arrived home and observed the juveniles in the act. The 12-year-old
juvenile suspect, in addition to sexually assaulting the victim, had beaten her with the heel of a shoe that
was nearby. The victim was almost unconscious when the police arrived.
Following the incident, the juvenile was arrested and detained by local police on the following charges:
Attempted sexual assault of a minor
Aggravated assault
Minor in possession of an atcoholic beverage
Untawful possession of a controlled substance (marijuana)
The juvenile suspect was a latchkey kid (a child who returns from school to an empty home) from a single-
parent home. His mother works from 2 p.m.—11 p.m. Monday through Friday, so the juvenile is often alone
for hours upon his return from school.
After a preliminary examination, the juvenile suspect explained that the victim purchased the marijuana and
the alcohol earlier that same day. The juvenile explained that the victim had invited him to her house
because they had “been liking each other” for a long time. Further, the juvenile explained that the alcohol
and drugs were in the home when he arrived. He said that he and the victim began by smoking marijuana
and drinking beer before they began kissing and fondling one another. Next, according to the juvenile
suspect, they started to have what he described as consensual sex. After a short while, they were
interrupted by the victim’s brother, who had come home from work. The victim’s brother then called the
police to report the incident.
The juvenile had prior detentions for violation of curfew, truancy, and attempted sexual battery. No further
explanations are given.
Sample Solution
