Here's a recent story of 13 year-old girls behaving badly. And yet, like me, you may feel compelled to ask, "Where were the parents?"
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Police: Girl given beer, shot with Taser at sleepover
'Numerous' charges possible after 13-year-old's report
09:37 PM CDT on Monday, March 19, 2007
By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News
debdennis@dallasnews.com
Grapevine police are investigating reports that a 13-year-old girl was assaulted with a Taser, given alcohol and bound with duct tape during a sleepover at a friend's house.
Potential criminal charges are "numerous," but none has been filed as the investigation continues, said Sgt. Bob Murphy, a spokesman for the Grapevine Police Department.
The girl, a middle school student, was assaulted Friday at a home in the 4100 block of Harvest Glen Court, police said.
The girl was also given an unknown type of pill, police said.
The 13-year-old and other teens at the house were allowed to drink from a small keg of beer, police said.
Adults were at the home at the time, Sgt. Murphy said.
"Somebody provided the alcohol and allowed it to be used," Sgt. Murphy said.
The 13-year-old apparently became drunk, loud and out of control.
According to a search warrant affidavit, a group of juveniles bound the girl's hands and legs with duct tape.
They also used duct tape to cover her mouth.
The girl was dragged down a flight of stairs by her legs and assaulted multiple times with the Taser, police said.
"She has marks on her," Sgt. Murphy said. "There were some obvious abrasions."
The girl cried and begged the teens to stop, the affidavit stated.
About midnight, the girl called her father to pick her up. Her parents reported the incident to police Saturday.
Police executed a search warrant at the home later that day and recovered a Taser and duct tape.
Hand-held Tasers are available at gun shops. They shoot an electric shock sufficient to incapacitate a person.
"It's like an animal prod," Sgt. Murphy said.
Police said they reported the incident to Child Protective Services.
However, Marissa Gonzales, a spokeswoman for CPS, could not confirm whether the agency is investigating.
