Mother Has 12-Year-Old Son Arrested for Opening Christmas Gift Early
By rracers89
@rracers89 (3246)
United States
December 6, 2006 9:21am CST
Get a load of this story, I say good for Mom, trying to teach him a lesson and set him straight. What do you think?
A 12-year-old South Carolina boy got an unexpected stocking stuffer — a pair of handcuffs — after he snuck into his Christmas gifts a few weeks early.
After a mother discovered her son had unwrapped a Nintendo Game Boy Advance that was meant for him as a present from his grandmother, she called the Rock Hill Police and had the young man arrested for petty larceny, according to the police report filed this week.
"He took it without permission. He wanted it. He just took it," the boy's 63-year-old great-grandmother told the Rock Hill Herald.
The great-grandmother said in the filed complaint that she wrapped the gift and placed it under the tree at her house — then specifically told the boy not to open it.
But when she checked under the tree Sunday, she found the box unwrapped and opened. The great-grandmother relayed the news to the mother, who is 27-years-old.
When the boy claimed he didn't know where the present was, the mother threatened to call the cops. On that threat, the boy went to his bedroom and grabbed the $85 Game Boy, according to the report.
But mom still called the police.
And the boy "showed no remorse" when the police came, mother said.
The boy was charged as a juvenile and released the same day, said police spokesman Lt. Jerry Waldrop. He was never in jail.
"We wouldn't hold a 12-year-old," he told the Rock Hill Herald.
On Monday night, the mother said she didn't know what else to do but call the police in hopes it would be a wake-up call for her son.
The mother told police that the boy has a history of bad behavior, including shoplifting from stores and stealing money from her. The mother said he even punched a police officer last month and was arrested for disorderly conduct for it.
"I'm trying to get him some kind of help," she told the Rock Hill Herald.
FOXNews.com's Michael De Dora, Jr. contributed to this report.
17 people like this
111 responses
@princess07031980 (5412)
• United States
6 Dec 06
I am in shock-it is funny and sad the he cannot even respect a Christmas gift. And now he has a juvenile record.
4 people like this
@rracers89 (3246)
• United States
6 Dec 06
I know what was he gonna do with it sell it or play it. And he wasnt even smart enough to hide the empty box or wrapping paper.
3 people like this
@princess07031980 (5412)
• United States
6 Dec 06
Yeah sounds like he is in for some more troubled day a head in life. My children would not do something like that.
5 people like this
@nonconformingmommy (49)
• United States
7 Dec 06
It's not the sneaking of the Christmas gift here that's sounding the alarm, it's the "he's been in trouble before." This is a cry for help. Hopefully someone's listening.
3 people like this
@honeybfly83 (1021)
• United States
6 Dec 06
I think she took it a little too far. I think she could have taught him a lesson another way she didnt have to get him arrested. If I opened a present too early when I was younger my Mom would just take it back and get something else and usually it was something I wasnt wanting for Christmas. After she did that one time I never opened another present too early. lol
4 people like this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
17 Dec 06
I agree that this is was taken a little too hard and the boy should not have been punished in that way. I wonder if this will have a bad effect on the child knowing that his mom called the police and had him arrested over a simple gameboy. Some other type of punishment should have been taken in this case.
@floramwaters (1595)
• United States
6 Dec 06
I think it was a little hard to call the cops on the boy for opening his gifts early. MOst kids do try and get a sneak peak at what is under the tree. He gave it back and you could go as far as to take it back to the store. As far as the other things why was not action taken when The other things happen. I do understand that she wanted to teach him a listen but there are much better ways of doing it.
3 people like this
@rracers89 (3246)
• United States
6 Dec 06
Yes true she waited to long after the other incidents happened, If it was just the gift and not the other petty theft and punching the cop i would not have called them. I know I have sneaked a peak when I was younger to.
2 people like this
@rracers89 (3246)
• United States
6 Dec 06
That would have been a good puishment to making him return it to they store or making him give it to a charity.
2 people like this
@camo26 (1418)
•
6 Dec 06
well dam right lol if he does stuff like that then why not i wouldnt even give him the rest of them either ha ha ha but ok seriously who hasnt opened a present early ?? I can tell you know if you were to phone the police over here and tell them to come and arrest your son because he opened a present early and wont give it back then they would slap a charge on you for wasting police time lol
@rracers89 (3246)
• United States
6 Dec 06
ya if it had not had the other problems i wouldnt of called.
2 people like this
@babylizzie86 (342)
• United States
7 Dec 06
Deserves him right. The mother did the right thing I believe. The kid is a little punk.
2 people like this
@MySpot (2600)
• United States
6 Dec 06
Wow! That's extreme parenting!
If I was his parent, I'd say, "That is the gift you are giving to charity this year." or something like that.... and then make him give it to an orphanage, Children's Hospital, or Salvation Army's Toys for Tots.
@baysmummy (1637)
• Australia
9 Dec 06
wow that poor mother, by the sounds of it she is at her wits end and that was the last straw! Good on her for calling the police lets just hope the kids wakes up to what he is doing and changes his life around before it is to late!
My son wouldnt dare do something i had told him not to do!
1 person likes this
@Nancy76 (396)
• United States
6 Dec 06
Yeah for the mom...I was shocked when I read the headline, but until now I got to read the full story as to what this was about.
I think the mother and grandmother did the right thing..With this out in the public the older kids will learn not to open anymore presents before Christmas. It will give all kids a good wake-up call if parents will say to them that if they even look at the gifts under the tree they will call the police...But I think they did good with doing this, even if the boy has a juvy record.
@LackThereOf (571)
• United States
7 Dec 06
I think that calling the police was a bit much as far as punishment. I think that punishment should suit the crime. If he had stolen someone elses gift, maybe...but the gift was his own and he never took it out of the house.
If he was my child, I would wrap that gift up again and march his butt down to the nearest "Toys for Totts" or toy raising fundraiser drop off bin and make him personally donate his toy to another needy child who would appreciate it more. If he was being a trouble maker, and couldn't even respect a nice gift like that, he doesn't deserve it. There are other children who have it far worse and who are in need, and he would learn that first hand. I'd probably even make him volunteer some time wrapping gifts for needy families or participating at soup kitchens...he'd learn via Tough Love that actions and attitudes like that will get him nowhere fast.
@sexysilver (928)
• United States
7 Dec 06
I think that would be a much more appropriate punishment. :)
Good thinking.
@Shadetail (103)
•
6 Dec 06
I think its a great idea. She should get him sent to a behavior correction centre before something really bad happens like he kills or steals alot of money. This child clearly has issues that need immediate attention, and hes a danger to society.
2 people like this
@rracers89 (3246)
• United States
7 Dec 06
yes i think i would of made him take it to a charity or return it to the store
@mytwo_daughters (2663)
• United States
7 Dec 06
well, I don't know what to say. Bad behavior is bad behavior, and stealing is stealing...but...this I wouldn't consider stealing. Lying about taking it is another thing. He should have been punished for that, and for taking the item out of the home. But it was NOT stealing. She was going to give it to him, and it had his name on it. Calling the police might back fire on her, I guess we will just have to wait and see. It sounds like he had issues before all this happened.....I heard this mentioned on conan o'brian last night....I thought he was joking.
If he is stealing money, and other things from mom, maybe she should have, and still should take action on those types of things. Just my opinion.
1 person likes this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
7 Dec 06
I say, good for mom!!! The boy needs to be taught to not take things without asking. That is called stealing. AND it is also good that she is calling the police because then she has record of his mis-doings. I would think that with this many problems, the state would offer her help. Because obviously, the child needs help if mom can't seem to control the problem. It is not always black and white...sometimes, people, kids included, have other things going on beside rebellion.
1 person likes this
@bronie123 (4587)
• United States
18 Dec 06
That is really crazy to me that mom has gone to far now that kid will have something on his record. Some people have gone crazy LOL
@usaction (649)
• United States
7 Dec 06
I agree with the following:
"That is a little extreme to me. I can understand if she would have returned the gift to the store. But call the police, and have him arrested, and waste tax payer's money for such a petty thing, that is rediculous...I simply would have taken the toy away and sold it."
IMO, the mother doesn't know how to raise a kid, and probably shouldn't be raising one in the first place.
First thing she should have done, long ago (he's 12, now) is tell him, on both his birthday AND x-mas that he's not getting anything, becuase of the bad things he's done, he's not getting anything.
That was easily the worst thing she could have done. The last thing we need is police, or any other "law agency" getting invovled with families. They have no concept of reality, and only care about their rules and regulations; some from their own personal experince, may argue that the only thing these sorts care to do is wreck families. I know people, who have had their kids taken because they couldn't provide decent child support, not through faults of their own, but due to several job down-sizings, jobs being sent overseas, mergers, etc. Then, to hide behind the "what's best for the child excuse" opens up a whole new route for problmes.
1 person likes this
