On the afternoon of 20/12, three brothers in Ohio, aged 8, 11, and 12 respectively, led police on a dramatic chase after stealing a car from in front of a house in Cuyahoga County.
Upon receiving reports of the incident, county police issued an alert and quickly located the vehicle. To their surprise, it was being driven by the 11-year-old boy.
When an officer attempted a traffic stop, the young driver accelerated and fled. After a pursuit spanning several kilometers, the car ultimately crashed into a roadside house. The three brothers exited the vehicle and tried to flee on foot but were quickly apprehended. According to reports, the house sustained only minor damage.
Three boys sobbed apologies, requiring comforting by police when brought to the station for questioning.
The children huddled together in fear. "I'm sorry. Please don't hit me. Please call my mom for me," one boy said, almost in tears.
"Are we going to jail?" another boy asked. An officer informed him that they would not be jailed, but would be held for questioning. He exclaimed, "Oh my goodness."
"So young, stealing a car. What's wrong with you kids?" an officer questioned as he led the children to a police vehicle to transport them to the station.
According to authorities, when questioned by investigators, the boys stated they saw a car while walking. "Something compelled us, we couldn't control it, we felt we had to steal that car," one of the children confessed.
Police reported that the boys admitted to learning how to steal a car by watching videos on YouTube. After their arrest, the boys expressed concern about how the incident would impact their Christmas holiday.
All three boys acknowledged their actions were wrong and worried Santa Claus would give them a lump of coal instead of gifts. In Western Christmas stories, naughty children receive a lump of coal in their stockings instead of presents, symbolizing disappointment or a gentle warning for misbehavior.
In Ohio, as in other states, children under 10 years old are generally considered incapable of committing a crime, making formal prosecution unlikely. Juveniles aged 10 to 17 can be found guilty of juvenile offenses, tried in juvenile court rather than regular criminal court. However, for serious felonies such as murder or terrorism, they may still face prosecution as adults.
In juvenile court, judges do not impose prison sentences. Instead, they typically order measures such as warnings, home education, probation with periodic reporting, community service, psychological counseling, addiction treatment, or placement in a juvenile facility.
Ohio allows for a blended sentencing mechanism. For example, if a juvenile commits an offense, they are tried in juvenile court but an adult sentence is held in abeyance. If the juvenile re-offends dangerously or resists during the period of corrective measures, the adult criminal sentence is activated.
In Ohio, car theft can result in 6-18 months of imprisonment, a 5,000 USD fine, and restitution for damages. If the theft leads to other offenses like an accident, injury, or possession of weapons during the crime, the perpetrator may face additional charges with higher penalties.
Hai Thu (According to Fox, Legacy Clarity, Codes Ohio)
