Well, Brandi, who’s fault is that? She should have been given him discipline and boundaries much earlier. Last month this kid was arrested for punching an officer too (see video in link). This might be a good thing for the kid but it’s a shame that the parent has let it get this bad.
I don’t really have a problem with what this mom did. It’s a good way to instill some respect for boundaries and for other people’s property. The kind of petty burglary this kid was engaging in could easily become a pattern (or may have already been). Spending a little time ith the po-pos might help it sink into the kids head that busting into people’s houses and stealing shit (whether the door is locked or unlocked could not be less relevant) has consequences.
I know. I just had to posit the theory. 
Sometimes life is rougher on young parents than they deserve.
It seems like ya’ll are picking the article apart just to find some morsel to suck on.
I took her comment to mean that her son hadn’t responded to her previous punishments or threats, not that he hadn’t been punished. What parent in their right mind would admit to not punishing their child? Does a mother who’d call the cops on her own child sound like a softie?
Short of turning your child over the authorities or kicking their asses out of the house, a parent can’t do much to a child who just will not obey. We don’t know what this mother has done in the past. Maybe she did normally take him to church, but his bad-behavior was too disruptive. Maybe she tried counseling and medication and it didn’t work. She sounds like a tired mother trying to do something. Turning your hard-headed son over to the police doesn’t mean you’re giving up on him. It means you’ve run out of options and you’re asking for help.
I can’t judge someone who’s run out of options, sorry. Especially when the story is being told in a brief article that skimps on the background details.
Was the father at church with her? He could’ve watched the 12-year-old.
Just a guess, but reading the articles, I would guess there is no Dad in this kid’s life. I sounds like he was left alone, but as usual we only have a small part of the story.
Jim
Doing the math means you were still married pretty young (17? or 18?) with an instant family to boot. More power to you, especially since you ended up with custody of them after the divorce.
Close to 19. Way too young, but the kids were very important to me, and I to them. I never intended to be married at that age.