Colorado boy accused of killing parents sent to juvenile detention

On behalf of David Lindsey, Attorney at Law posted in Criminal Defense on Wednesday, September 7, 2011.

A 13-year-old boy from Burlington, Colorado, has been accused of shooting his parents and stabbing two of his younger siblings. The parents were found dead in March, and the two siblings were severely injured but managed to survive.

The 13-year-old boy, whose name has not been disclosed because of his age, has decided to plead guilty to the murder of his parents. The district attorney said that because the boy had no history of criminal activity, he will not be charged as an adult. This eliminated any possibility that he would be sentenced to life in prison.

Instead, the boy, who was 12 when he allegedly killed his parents, was sentenced to seven years in juvenile detention after he was examined by two different psychologists. After he has served seven years, he will undergo another evaluation, which will determine whether he will be released from detention or held for two more years.

At this time, the reason behind the March events is not clear. Information on the boy’s psychological evaluation cannot be released to the public.

While some members of the boy’s extended family are unhappy with the sentence he received, it is not entirely surprising based on the history of juvenile crime in Colorado. According to reports, the last time a 12-year-old was put in prison as an adult was in 1897. The juvenile court system in Colorado had not been created yet.

The juvenile court system exists to give young people who have committed a crime a second chance. It can help provide these children the resources they need to turn their lives around and go forward as productive citizens.

Source: FOX31, “Plea deal means boy will plead guilty to killing his parents,” Dave Young, Aug. 26, 2011