13-Year-Old Girl Spends 13 Days in Dallas Jail
August 9, 2009It’s August, 2009. How is it possible these days with our advanced national computer systems and standardized protocols that a 13 year old girl could mistakenly spend 11 days; that’s almost two weeks locked inside of an adult Dallas County Jail?
Well it did happen, and now a serious investigation has been duly launched by the Dallas Police Department and Dallas County Jail. Seems like the mix-up all began when 2 girls were arrested for shoplifting at a Target store by an officer who mistakenly took them for 2 adult women.
It wasn’t until the youth’s court hearing that the truth of her real age was revealed. According to reports, the off-duty arresting police officer told CBS 11, that she didn’t appear that young. “She, from what I remember, in my opinion, she didn’t look like a 13-year old, she looked a little older.”
The fact is, the child lied about her age. But there are discussions whether or not the “built-in mechanisms” of the justice system should have automatically corrected this and her age revealed. Yes, she’s had a run-in with the law before and was listed by her parents as a runaway. However, upon further research, officials would have discovered her fingerprints were already on file and this “mistake” would have never taken place.
Posted in In The News, Who's In Jail | 1 Comment »
August 9th, 2009 at 6:19 am
I have to side with the officer here. I think this is a lesson for the child. Perhaps “systems” should be looked at to mitigate such situations. In my Guide for Women Arrested in Los Angeles County, I advised never give a false name. It’s very difficult to be bailed out that way. The same would be said for age.