Children Seek a ‘Why’ In a Child’s Crime

A 6-year-old boy was accused last week of breaking into a home in the Bay Area town of Richmond along with two eight-year-old boys, perhaps to take a tricycle. The younger boy then allegedly tipped a month-old infant out of his bed and beat him severely with a stick. Analysts immediately focused on the adults in the 6-year-old’s life. MARY REESE BOYKIN spoke with children a few years older than the accused and found that they wondered and worried about the state of mind of the 6-year-old, who has remained in the custody of juvenile authorities.

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KAYL HARRELL

10, fourth grade, 74th Street Elementary School, L.A.

I heard that the boy was angry with the baby’s family. But why would a family do something to make a 6-year-old angry? Probably, they just didn’t want the tricycle to end up broken.

The boy is black and the baby is Latino. I don’t know whether race had anything to do with this incident but some children are prejudiced about race, probably because their parents are. At my school, a girl in another class said to my good friend, “Quit staring at me, white boy.” When children are away from their parents, they act like their parents and use the same kind of language that their parents use.

I learned a real lesson about how serious hitting can be when I was six. My two front teeth were loose and my older brother kicked me--we were playing and it was an accident. My teeth fell out. That hurt. I learned not to play rough and not to fight.

My parents keep me active in church. I think going to church would help the 6-year-old boy. Maybe he will see the light through Christ and understand the concept of being a Christian, that everybody makes mistakes, that they can repent and then live better.

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PATRICK LONDONO

11, 5th Grade, Rancho Vista Elementary School, Palmdale

The 6-year-old boy had repeated kindergarten. It’s hard on students who have problems with their grades. When other kids are angry with them, they say things like, “At least I know how to read.” It makes them feel bad and don’t want to go to school. If that was part of his anger, he needed to talk about it.

I think he should be let out of the juvenile facility. They should keep him in the house except for school.

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MICHELE HALE

10, fifth grade, Cowan Avenue Elementary School, Westchester

I have a 5-year-old brother and he had better know that beating a baby is wrong. I feel that the 6-year-old boy knew better.

I think this kid may miss out on childhood very much. I play basketball, football, soccer, and tennis. I participate in Girl Scouts and play the piano. This kid may miss all the neat things I can do.

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TIMOTHY GREGORY

12, 6th Grade, Canyon Springs Elementary School, Santa Clarita Valley

When I heard about the beating, I wondered, “Why would he do that -- jealousy, fun, a dare?”

My mom does day-care at home. Every day I am around 2, 3, 4-year-old children. They show manners by saying “thank you” and “please.” I see Eric, the oldest kid--he’s 4 1/2--helping, sharing, but never hitting the other children.

I think that the 6-year-old should stay [at the juvenile detention center] for a while, maybe six months, until they find someone else to look after him, and they should make sure he is not around babies.