12 Year Old Boys Arrested For Rape On Playground (Rubber Glove Assault)

[matcom]

<snip>

A pair of 12-year-old Lynnwood boys were arrested on suspicion of second-degree rape for a school-playground incident police are calling "a prank gone wrong."

The boys were arrested Friday at College Place Middle School for allegedly abusing another 12-year-old boy during the school's lunch break Feb. 9.

Principal Thea Gardner Tuesday sent a letter home with students explaining the situation and assuring parents that the accused students have been expelled.

The boys were released from Denney Juvenile Justice Center after a judge set their bail Friday at $500 each, said Snohomish County Deputy Prosecutor John Stansell.

The boys apparently decided to "mess with somebody" after a school health assembly during which they had obtained rubber gloves, said Lynnwood police spokeswoman Shannon Sessions. They picked their alleged victim at random, then wrestled him to the ground, she said. They were all laughing at first, she said, but then one of the aggressors held the victim down against his will while the other one assaulted him.

"They thought they were being funny," Sessions said. "The Police Department, of course, does not think this was funny, and we take all sexual assaults very seriously."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003581591_schoolassault21m.html

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. Jesus...

As the mother of a son, this is my nightmare. I have sat in the parking lot to watch the playground goings on and usually see the lunch moms hanging out, talking, while the kids are off playing. I live across from the middle school and see all kinds of bullying on the walk home. It's disgusting that so many of these districts pay the "zero tolerance" lip service and then are forced to deal with the horses after they've left the barn. :grr:

[LostinVA]

2. "A prank gone wrong"? On what planet?

This is sexual assault. I'm glad they are taking this seriously -- I just wished they hadn't said that.

[zanne]

3. They're not just kids...

They're not six or seven; they're twelve. I used to teach Junior high and believe me, alot of 12 year-old boys are sexually mature.

[sniffa]

4. oh c'mon

boys wiLL be boys and aLL.

[Hugin]

5. They'll hand out rubber gloves in school, but, not condoms?

We really do live in a sick society... *tsk*