PACIFIC PALISADES:
A resident wrote that if the school and police cannot take any definitive action against minors who are inflicting harm, victims can sue in civil court.
Civil Code 1714.1 provides that “Any act of willful misconduct of a minor that results in injury or death to another person, or in any injury to the property of another, shall be imputed to the parent or guardian having custody and control of the minor for all purposes of civil damages.”
The amount is not to exceed $25,000 for each wrongful act.
“The victims should sue the family,” a reader wrote. “Palisades is chock full of lawyers . . .”
The reader, a lawyer, pointed out that since there have been several incidents, “there may be a limit of $25K per incident, but there have been a bunch. . .”
That means the perpetrator’s family could be charged repeatedly, which might hasten action from parents to control a youth.
BEVERLY HILLS:
The news about parents being responsible for juvenile’s actions hit close to home on March 8, when five Beverly Hills middle school students were expelled from school.
The five had taken fake nude photos and using artificial intelligence had put faces of their classmates on them.
According to one report the School District had completed all required actions pertaining to the incident, but the investigation is ongoing. Legal experts said the school probably could not be sued, but the parents of the five that had been expelled could have charges brought against them in a civil suit.
MICHIGAN:
Jennifer Crumbly, the mother of a Michigan teen who killed four students at his high school in 2021, was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter. Parents have previously faced liability for their child’s actions, such as with neglect or firearms charges, but this was the first time a parent of a school shooter was held responsible.
The prosecution pointed out that the son was depressed and was losing touch with reality and that the parents didn’t provide help. The defense countered it with Facebook posts of the family on trips, and describing “normal” stuff the family did, such as playing video games and swimming in the family pool. The jury still held them mom responsible.
The dad of the shooter, James Crumbley, 47, went on trial March 2 and on March 14 a jury convicted him of involuntary manslaughter. He faces up to 15 years in prison.
“These parents could have prevented this tragedy. It was foreseeable,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said after the verdict. “With just the smallest of efforts, they could have prevented this shooting and saved these kids’ lives.”
A counselor at the high school testified that he had spoken to both parents and the kid on November 30, and told the parents the kid needed mental health support. Under oath, the counselor said if there was not a plan in place, he planned to contact Child Protective Services.
The shooter had been sentenced in December 2023 to life in prison without parole.
I may be wrong, but it appears you have the names of the neighborhood perpetrators and their parents. Why won’t you print them?
Michael,
I do have the names of the perpetrators, but because they are minors and have not been found “guilty” in a court of law, legally it would not be wise. The names have been shared with LAPD and with the high school.
Sue