99FLHRCI Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 http://www.wsbt.com/news/wsbt-berrien-springs-16yearold-found-handcuffed-in-parental-discipline---20110210,0,5855695.story BERRIEN SPRINGS — A 16-year-old boy, handcuffed to a chair in his room for a week, managed to get his chair to a computer to call 911 while his mother was gone from the house. Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township Police issued a report indicating the 911 call was received at 3:39 p.m. Tuesday. No arrests have been made as the investigation continues. But, the 16-year-old and his 9-year-old sister have been placed in foster homes by Child Protective Services. Police gave this scenario: * The boy told police he had been handcuffed to a kitchen chair after he was arrested three weeks ago for shoplifting. As punishment, his mother confined him to a 6-foot by 4-foot room with only a Bible and told him to think about what he’d done. * Roughly two weeks ago, when the teen’s mother found out he’d somehow gotten an MP3 player, he was then handcuffed to a chair in his room from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Meals were brought to him. At bedtime, the teen was handcuffed to a desk leg. * The mother provided the teen with bottled water and a bell to ring if he needed to go to the bathroom. He was only allowed outside to shovel snow. * The teen told police he was supposed to be spending several months in his room, but “couldn’t take it anymore” and devised a way to call 911. Berrien County prosecutors are reviewing the case. At what point do you think she crossed the line from punishment to abuse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RC K9 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 She didn't. Lucky that's all he got. Had he not been stealing in the first place he wouldn't have been in that position. He made the choice that put him in that position and she wasn't physically harming him. I personally would have rather taken an @ss whoopin from my dad and been done with it, but handcuffing will work too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99FLHRCI Posted February 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I have to agree. He was provided food water and a bathroom. He was also provided a way to alert someone if he needed help. He got outside for "exercise" (shoveling). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRed05 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 +2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sully Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I feel the handcuffing was just a bit too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractor Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I feel the handcuffing was just a bit too much. Yeah probably a bit over the top, but maybe he'd already AWOL a few times and this was her solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRTurbo04 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I feel the handcuffing was just a bit too much. X2 that's just cruel. Its one thing to lock you in your room but come onn Also anyone curious to know why the mom had hand cuffs... kinky Pics of said mom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Gump 9 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Yeah, it's a fine line. To me it's acceptable, but it's something that I'll never do to my child/children (I hope so anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewhop Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 This is how I keep my wife in line. Not ok for a kid tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draco-REX Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 The handcuffs are over the line, IMO. Here's another question though: Was she allowing him to go to school? Sounds like she wasn't. That's an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg1647545532 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Child abuse doesn't have to be physical. Locking someone in a 6' x 4' room and handcuffing them to bed at night... that's mental abuse. If he was sent to juvi for shoplifting he'd be treated better. Plus... shoplifting? Isn't that about on par with street racing on the criminal conduct scale? eta: Hah, I was right! They're both first degree misdemeanors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bruh Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 (edited) too much Edited February 10, 2011 by John Bruh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Handcuffing took it too far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 if my parents would have handcuffed me to a desk the first time i got caught shoplifting when i was a kid, i probably wouldn't have done it again and got caught a second time. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost face Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 That is not child abuse. If he got handcuffed before for the same thing he should have learned that he should not be doing it again. I think the real question is, would he have felt better going to jail for couple months and having a record than being at home handcuffed to a chair? BTW having obese kids are child abuse, but I never hear stories about it on the news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg1647545532 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Would you rather go to jail for a couple months and have a record or have me break your pinky? I don't know about you, but I'd take the pinky. That doesn't mean you can break your kids' fingers and expect the authorities to leave you alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost face Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Breaking someone's pinky is completely irrelevant than being handcuffed to a chair at the comfort of his own home with no physical harm done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99FLHRCI Posted February 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Child abuse doesn't have to be physical. Locking someone in a 6' x 4' room and handcuffing them to bed at night... that's mental abuse. If he was sent to juvi for shoplifting he'd be treated better. Plus... shoplifting? Isn't that about on par with street racing on the criminal conduct scale? eta: Hah, I was right! They're both first degree misdemeanors. If he was sent to juvi and snuck in contraband would he be in solitary? Wouldn't that be just about the same as what he had here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg1647545532 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Agreed. So the real question isn't "Would have rather have gone to jail and gotten a record," as you suggested, but rather, "Is handcuffing someone to their room for a week child abuse." And the answer is yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg1647545532 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 If he was sent to juvi and snuck in contraband would he be in solitary? Wouldn't that be just about the same as what he had here? I don't think juvi has solitary. I could be wrong, but I can't imagine they're throwing kids in oz for shoplifting. And even hardened criminals who get sent to solitary confinement don't get handcuffed to their beds at night. Only Sarah Connor gets that treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleguy Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 What I wouldn't give to find a 16 year old boy handcuffed in my house. Why do they have to get older? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99FLHRCI Posted February 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I don't think juvi has solitary. I could be wrong, but I can't imagine they're throwing kids in oz for shoplifting. And even hardened criminals who get sent to solitary confinement don't get handcuffed to their beds at night. Only Sarah Connor gets that treatment. Solitary confinement is a common punishment in juvenile facilities in the USA. A national study of the use of isolation calculated that in 1992 there had been 435,000 occasions when facilities had used isolation for a period of one to 24 hours and 88,900 occasions when it had been imposed for more than 24 hours. Also talks about restraint chairs being used. Much less mobility in a restraint chair then cuffed to a chair/desk. http://www.nospank.net/ai-rpt3.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg1647545532 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Bummer. Well, anything over 24 hours is apparently noteworthy, and I'm guessing run of the mill shoplifters don't get that, so I'ma still stick with child abuse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost face Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 From the article it says that he was handcuffed from 6 am to 7pm, a whole 13 hours. Since he is 16 and going to school, a "week" is probably just Saturday and Sunday. Would you say that duration makes a difference in determining if this story is a case of child abuse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyin Miata Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 As soon as I got to the part about the Bible, it was obvious this lady is probably a little nuts herself. If she thinks handcuffing her kid to a chair with a Bible is going to fix him, then she isn't fit to be a fucking parent. If you can't control your kid, regardless of whether or not he is a dumbass, then take him to a boot camp or get some other external help. Seems like she did this out of despair, but that is no way to be a parent. And sure I'm only 22 don't know what it's like to be a parent blah blah blah, but this is my view. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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