Stories regarding delinquency among teenagers are not uncommon. However, when a mother was involved and actually aided in this delinquency, it begs the question, “Wouldn’t she know better?” A 43-year-old mother from Northridge, CA has been formally charged with two counts of vandalism, two counts of trespassing, and two counts of tampering with a vehicle. She has also been charged with three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. These charges were brought in relation to an incident which occurred in April.
C.W. drove her daughter and two of her friends, aged 13 and 14, to two separate residences in order to get revenge on former friends. Although these acts of vandalism involved teepeeing the houses with toilet paper, this was so much more than a light-hearted prank. Human feces were smeared on front porches and vehicles, the word “Jew” was sprawled across their home, and swastikas were drawn in maple syrup. A neighbor’s surveillance camera caught the acts on tape, but it is still unclear whether or not the three middle school girls will face any legal ramifications. However, as the mother is an adult and aided and abetted the girls in their crime, she could be heavily penalized. Read more about this L.A. Times article here.
According to the California Penal Code Section 594, vandalism involves maliciously defacing, damaging, or destroying the property of someone else. This could be a home, vehicle, sign, or the personal belongings of a private individual or a public organization. The amount of damage done to the property will determine what the penalties will be. For example, vandalism that resulted in less than $400 of property damage could result in jail for up to one year or a $10,000 fine. They might also be ordered to help repair the damages or clean up the defacement.
