Triggering: 13-Year-Old Girl Arrested For Attempting To Kill Family By Setting Fires

[FlyingTrue]

This is pretty sad:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news...18/detail.html

[MegaMadness]

What the hell makes a 13 year old girl do that?!

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

Ian Lambie and Isabel Randell (2011) published a meta-analytic article discussing the various typologies for juvenile arsonists according to age groups. They examined a bit over 20 studies from 1991 to 2008 and for the age group including 13-year old children, the motivation was always a mix of anger, depression and anxiety stemming from parental upbringing. In essence, the fire setting was a way to release anger and get revenge without the intent to kill. Some studies also found children were experimenting and curious, having no skill at controlling the fire.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21382537

My view is in line with the 2 researchers aforementioned. For example, a grass fire may go all over the place depending on the grass or just in a main area. It wasn't aimed at anyone in particular and the only person in danger was the 13-year old girl, assuming nobody else was near-by. Also, setting a couch on fire doesn't harm anyone unless the person is on the couch but the article suggests it was unoccupied. Setting the bedroom on fire is a bit of a different story as it erases the memory of those who use the bedroom, even if the room is unoccupied. So that one may be more along the lines of revenge and anger, not curiosity.

I question the charges of first-degree murder because to me, it suggests the intended targets were either in the vicinity of the fire. I could understand that for the bedroom fire but am interested why it is six counts of first-degree murder. Although I am also interested in what made the police shift their suspicion from the 17-year old to the 13-year old. I'm not suggesting the girl is innocent or guilty, that's not something I care to dwell on until the trial comes to a close.

[✖Ice✖]

Get some help for the child not jail time.

[Sythan]

Originally Posted by ✖Truth✖

Get some help for the child not jail time.

She still committed attempted murder, just because she's a child doesn't mean she shouldn't be punished in some way. While she's incarcerated she should get the help she needs, but not a get out of jail free card.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

Originally Posted by Sythan

She still committed attempted murder, just because she's a child doesn't mean she shouldn't be punished in some way. While she's incarcerated she should get the help she needs, but not a get out of jail free card.

Hold your horses there bub, she hasn't committed anything because her case hasn't been through trial yet. Save the blame game until after.

[pezpollution]

Kids don't just go around setting fires. I think untill proven guilty or innocent she needs mental help. If she's proven guilty I hope they get her some help.

[Unicorn ♥✿]

She quite obviously has some sort of issue.

She should get help, not jail

xx

[Guile]

Some people simply are Pyromaniacs, it's a personal opinion, but some people don't consider it to be a mental condition, but simply a "dangerous hobby".

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by ✖Truth✖

Get some help for the child not jail time.

I wonder if you'd be quite so lenient if it was a 13 year old male, or even a 15 year old male. I don't believe you would, you'd join the rest of the crowd with pitchforks. That tends to be how public opinion works. Female, needs help. Male, evil bastard. Just another things on the list of things I notice which cause me a huge amount of anger.


To those who say she needs help but should not be punished - does this give me a free pass to try and burn down my house? I mean, it's not as if I'm going to be punished for it, right?

[Snufkin]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

I wonder if you'd be quite so lenient if it was a 13 year old male, or even a 15 year old male. I don't believe you would, you'd join the rest of the crowd with pitchforks. That tends to be how public opinion works. Female, needs help. Male, evil bastard. Just another things on the list of things I notice which cause me a huge amount of anger.

If she were black, she'd probably be sentenced to death!