Thursday, December 24, 2009
Dating Violence and Your Teen:
In February 2009, teen pop star Chris Brown allegedly beat and verbally threatened his celebrity girlfriend Rihanna inside his car before leaving her and driving off. Rihanna is 21 years old; Brown is 19.
While stories such as this don't usually make national headlines, Brown and Rihanna have spotlighted a very real issue amongst teens. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), teen dating abuse affects 1 out of every 11 high school students.
Teen dating violence, as defined by the Crime and Violence Prevention Center (CVPC), includes hitting, yelling, threatening, name calling, or any other form of verbal, sexual, emotional, or physical abuse. It affects every race, gender, religion, and socioeconomic class, and occurs in both heterosexual and gay relationships. Although both men and women can be the abuser, the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (NYVPRC) states that females ages 16-24 are almost three times more likely to be the victim of partner abuse than the national average of any other age group.
Teens who are involved in an abusive relationship usually do not tell loved ones of their situation, so it is important for parents, guardians, and close friends to recognize any warning signs. Alarmingly, a recent survey conducted by the NYVPRC found that 81% of parents either believe teen dating violence is not an issue, or admit they don't know if it's an issue. To help raise awareness, NYVPRC provides some signs to be conscious of, including:
-Unexplained bruising, scratches, or injuries
-Signs a teen is afraid of his/her boyfriend or girlfriend
-Controlling behavior exhibited by a boyfriend or girlfriend, and acting jealous and/or possessive
-Critical and insulting behavior by a teen's boyfriend or girlfriend
-Abusive behavior by a boyfriend or girlfriend toward other people or things
-The need for the teen to apologize for his/her boyfriend or girlfriend's behavior
-Loss of interest in school, activities, or hobbies
-Sudden appearance and behavior changes
-Mood changes such as acting depressed, secretive, anxious, or acting out
-Starting to use drugs and/or alcohol
Although some of these signs are part of normal teen behavior, there is a cause for concern if these changes happen suddenly or without explanation.
While stories such as this don't usually make national headlines, Brown and Rihanna have spotlighted a very real issue amongst teens. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), teen dating abuse affects 1 out of every 11 high school students.
Teen dating violence, as defined by the Crime and Violence Prevention Center (CVPC), includes hitting, yelling, threatening, name calling, or any other form of verbal, sexual, emotional, or physical abuse. It affects every race, gender, religion, and socioeconomic class, and occurs in both heterosexual and gay relationships. Although both men and women can be the abuser, the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (NYVPRC) states that females ages 16-24 are almost three times more likely to be the victim of partner abuse than the national average of any other age group.
Teens who are involved in an abusive relationship usually do not tell loved ones of their situation, so it is important for parents, guardians, and close friends to recognize any warning signs. Alarmingly, a recent survey conducted by the NYVPRC found that 81% of parents either believe teen dating violence is not an issue, or admit they don't know if it's an issue. To help raise awareness, NYVPRC provides some signs to be conscious of, including:
-Unexplained bruising, scratches, or injuries
-Signs a teen is afraid of his/her boyfriend or girlfriend
-Controlling behavior exhibited by a boyfriend or girlfriend, and acting jealous and/or possessive
-Critical and insulting behavior by a teen's boyfriend or girlfriend
-Abusive behavior by a boyfriend or girlfriend toward other people or things
-The need for the teen to apologize for his/her boyfriend or girlfriend's behavior
-Loss of interest in school, activities, or hobbies
-Sudden appearance and behavior changes
-Mood changes such as acting depressed, secretive, anxious, or acting out
-Starting to use drugs and/or alcohol
Although some of these signs are part of normal teen behavior, there is a cause for concern if these changes happen suddenly or without explanation.
St. Louis man charged in killing of girlfriend
ST. LOUIS — Prosecutors today have charged a woman’s boyfriend for her slaying, St. Louis police said.
Police said that Dajuan Keith Drake, 29, of the 1600 block of North 18th Street, has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Drake is being held in the St. Louis city jail in lieu of a $750,000 bond.
Prosecutors accuse Drake of shooting the victim — Kenyetta Brown, 18, of the 6200 block of Emma Avenue — in her head and body. Police went to the teen’s home and found her body at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Police said that Dajuan Keith Drake, 29, of the 1600 block of North 18th Street, has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Drake is being held in the St. Louis city jail in lieu of a $750,000 bond.
Prosecutors accuse Drake of shooting the victim — Kenyetta Brown, 18, of the 6200 block of Emma Avenue — in her head and body. Police went to the teen’s home and found her body at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Four teens charged as adults in gang-rape case
RICHMOND -- Four teenagers face potential life sentences in connection with the gang-rape of a 15-year-old girl outside her homecoming dance at Richmond High School, Contra Costa County prosecutors said Wednesday.
Three minors — 15, 16 and 17 — are each charged with felony rape with a foreign object. The charges all carry an enhancement that they acted in concert, which could make them eligible for life in prison if found true, Deputy District Attorney Dara Cashman said.
The 16-year-old also has been charged with robbery. Cashman charged a fourth suspect, 19-year-old Manuel Ortega, with robbery, assault causing great bodily injury, rape in concert and an enhancement that also makes him eligible for life in prison.
The youths were charged as adults "because this crime speaks to a high degree of callousness and viciousness," said Contra Costa Deputy District Attorney Dan Cabral, head of the office's juvenile division.
Cashman and Richmond police detectives said Wednesday that they expect to make more arrests in the case. A fifth suspect arrested Tuesday night, 21-year-old Salvador Rodriguez, remains in custody but has not been charged.
Police say the suspects all participated in the two-hour assault in a shadowy courtyard while students partied in a gym across campus Saturday night.
Detectives continued searching for more suspects Wednesday. They can only estimate how many participated in the rape — perhaps seven — after the victim fell into a drunken stupor in their company.
Police say the victim left the dance about 9:30 p.m. and walked north on 23rd Street, intending to phone her father for a ride home. But before she did, a classmate called to her from behind a chain-link fence that separates a campus courtyard from the street.
"Her friend called to her, then hopped the fence and escorted her" up Emeric Avenue to a low gate that led into a campus parking lot, Lt. Mark Gagan said.
They joined up with a group of other teens and young adults hanging out and drinking in the poorly lit courtyard.
The victim drank a large amount of brandy in a short amount of time while socializing, police said, then collapsed. Someone dragged her to a bench, where several people stripped her, beat her, stole her jewelry and other belongings, and raped her.
The sexual assault continued for about two hours, detectives estimate, with several men and boys taking part, possibly including some who arrived after the attack began, as word spread.
News of the ongoing rape eventually reached Raul Rubio from passers-by, as he stood on a corner with friends about a block from campus. After verifying the claim, he went to his girlfriend's nearby home, and she called 9-1-1.
Richmond police spent the next four days interviewing dozens of teens and young adults, leading them to the suspects. Detectives have recovered some of the victim's property, including her cell phone, Detective Ken Greco said.
The department offers a $20,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible.
The victim remained hospitalized Wednesday in stable condition, police said.
Three minors — 15, 16 and 17 — are each charged with felony rape with a foreign object. The charges all carry an enhancement that they acted in concert, which could make them eligible for life in prison if found true, Deputy District Attorney Dara Cashman said.
The 16-year-old also has been charged with robbery. Cashman charged a fourth suspect, 19-year-old Manuel Ortega, with robbery, assault causing great bodily injury, rape in concert and an enhancement that also makes him eligible for life in prison.
The youths were charged as adults "because this crime speaks to a high degree of callousness and viciousness," said Contra Costa Deputy District Attorney Dan Cabral, head of the office's juvenile division.
Cashman and Richmond police detectives said Wednesday that they expect to make more arrests in the case. A fifth suspect arrested Tuesday night, 21-year-old Salvador Rodriguez, remains in custody but has not been charged.
Police say the suspects all participated in the two-hour assault in a shadowy courtyard while students partied in a gym across campus Saturday night.
Detectives continued searching for more suspects Wednesday. They can only estimate how many participated in the rape — perhaps seven — after the victim fell into a drunken stupor in their company.
Police say the victim left the dance about 9:30 p.m. and walked north on 23rd Street, intending to phone her father for a ride home. But before she did, a classmate called to her from behind a chain-link fence that separates a campus courtyard from the street.
"Her friend called to her, then hopped the fence and escorted her" up Emeric Avenue to a low gate that led into a campus parking lot, Lt. Mark Gagan said.
They joined up with a group of other teens and young adults hanging out and drinking in the poorly lit courtyard.
The victim drank a large amount of brandy in a short amount of time while socializing, police said, then collapsed. Someone dragged her to a bench, where several people stripped her, beat her, stole her jewelry and other belongings, and raped her.
The sexual assault continued for about two hours, detectives estimate, with several men and boys taking part, possibly including some who arrived after the attack began, as word spread.
News of the ongoing rape eventually reached Raul Rubio from passers-by, as he stood on a corner with friends about a block from campus. After verifying the claim, he went to his girlfriend's nearby home, and she called 9-1-1.
Richmond police spent the next four days interviewing dozens of teens and young adults, leading them to the suspects. Detectives have recovered some of the victim's property, including her cell phone, Detective Ken Greco said.
The department offers a $20,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible.
The victim remained hospitalized Wednesday in stable condition, police said.
Teen Knowingly Pointed Loaded Gun At Girl
Boy Charged With Murder In Girlfriend's Death
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Deputies released new information Thursday in connection with the death of a 17-year-old girl who was shot in what deputies now say was a case of Russian roulette gone wrong.
Deputies said that Phillip Alexander Cannon, 16, told them that he knew the gun he pointed at his girlfriend, Kelly Nicole Kimbrell, was loaded. Cannon told deputies that one chamber in the gun was empty, and he thought that was the one the gun was set on. Cannon said he pointed the gun at Kimbrell, and said, "I'm going to shoot you," before he pulled the trigger.
Kimbrell was wounded in the chest and died at the scene just after 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Deputies had initially thought the shooting was accidental, but after interviewing Cannon and speaking to the solicitor, Cannon was charged with murder.
Investigators said that Cannon and Kimbrell were part of a group of teens who had skipped school at Boiling Springs High School. Cannon told deputies that they had "skipped school to get high."
Investigators said that they found marijuana in the apartment, but that they won't know if the students had used drugs until they get back the results of toxicology tests.
Officials said that Cannon and Kimbrell were boyfriend and girlfriend, but Thursday, Kimbrell's mother told WYFF News 4 that her daughter was not dating Cannon, and that she had been dating someone else for more than a year.
Deputies said that the .357-magnum handgun belonged to Cannon's father and the shooting happened in the apartment at The Haven on Maidstone Drive that the 16-year-old shared with his father.
According to sheriff's investigators, the gun was readily accessible in the home. State law does not require weapons to be concealed or locked up inside of residences.
Cannon's attorney, N. Douglas Brannon, said that Cannon waived his right to an arraignment Thursday night and signed a document on which he also indicated a not guilty plea.
Cannon is in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice, but officials will not say where he is being held, so it is unclear if he is in Spartanburg or if he has been moved to Columbia.
On Thursday, officials at Boiling Springs High School said that they were trying to make the day as "normal" as possible, though counselors were available on campus to help any students who needed grief counseling.
Why Is the Charge Murder?
Spartanburg County sheriff's Deputy Maj. Dan Johnson said, "One factor that's weighed heavily in the investigation is the fact he did have some knowledge the gun did have some live rounds in the handgun."
The sheriff's office said that there are other factors that cannot be discussed at this time.
Spartanburg County Coroner Jim Burnett ruled Kimbrell's death a homicide. In a written statement, Burnett said: "An accidental death would a death where the individuals involved would not foresee the result. It is my opinion that the handling of a loaded, deadly weapon (a firearm) can be foreseen as possibly leading to death or serious injury."
He also wrote the defendant "did fire at the gun at the victim intentionally knowing the gun was loaded."
The solicitor's office said that a murder charge is based on the presence of malice aforethought and lack of justification.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Deputies released new information Thursday in connection with the death of a 17-year-old girl who was shot in what deputies now say was a case of Russian roulette gone wrong.
Deputies said that Phillip Alexander Cannon, 16, told them that he knew the gun he pointed at his girlfriend, Kelly Nicole Kimbrell, was loaded. Cannon told deputies that one chamber in the gun was empty, and he thought that was the one the gun was set on. Cannon said he pointed the gun at Kimbrell, and said, "I'm going to shoot you," before he pulled the trigger.
Kimbrell was wounded in the chest and died at the scene just after 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Deputies had initially thought the shooting was accidental, but after interviewing Cannon and speaking to the solicitor, Cannon was charged with murder.
Investigators said that Cannon and Kimbrell were part of a group of teens who had skipped school at Boiling Springs High School. Cannon told deputies that they had "skipped school to get high."
Investigators said that they found marijuana in the apartment, but that they won't know if the students had used drugs until they get back the results of toxicology tests.
Officials said that Cannon and Kimbrell were boyfriend and girlfriend, but Thursday, Kimbrell's mother told WYFF News 4 that her daughter was not dating Cannon, and that she had been dating someone else for more than a year.
Deputies said that the .357-magnum handgun belonged to Cannon's father and the shooting happened in the apartment at The Haven on Maidstone Drive that the 16-year-old shared with his father.
According to sheriff's investigators, the gun was readily accessible in the home. State law does not require weapons to be concealed or locked up inside of residences.
Cannon's attorney, N. Douglas Brannon, said that Cannon waived his right to an arraignment Thursday night and signed a document on which he also indicated a not guilty plea.
Cannon is in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice, but officials will not say where he is being held, so it is unclear if he is in Spartanburg or if he has been moved to Columbia.
On Thursday, officials at Boiling Springs High School said that they were trying to make the day as "normal" as possible, though counselors were available on campus to help any students who needed grief counseling.
Why Is the Charge Murder?
Spartanburg County sheriff's Deputy Maj. Dan Johnson said, "One factor that's weighed heavily in the investigation is the fact he did have some knowledge the gun did have some live rounds in the handgun."
The sheriff's office said that there are other factors that cannot be discussed at this time.
Spartanburg County Coroner Jim Burnett ruled Kimbrell's death a homicide. In a written statement, Burnett said: "An accidental death would a death where the individuals involved would not foresee the result. It is my opinion that the handling of a loaded, deadly weapon (a firearm) can be foreseen as possibly leading to death or serious injury."
He also wrote the defendant "did fire at the gun at the victim intentionally knowing the gun was loaded."
The solicitor's office said that a murder charge is based on the presence of malice aforethought and lack of justification.
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