The expert says the city prosecutor insists on punishing parents for crimes committed by children

Baltimore (WBFF) – Over the past week or so, more than a dozen minors have been arrested in Baltimore for a variety of crimes, including armed robberies and carjackings – one of the suspects was 12 years old. There is now more and more talk about holding parents accountable – in some cases – when children commit crimes.

Concern increased this week after police said a 13-year-old squeegee kid – someone who washes car windshields for money – attacked a 51-year-old man in his vehicle in west Baltimore on Tuesday morning – a school day .

“He should have been at school and his parents should have been held accountable, blamed the parents. Because my 10-year-old, if he’s not at school, I know where he is. I always know where he is,” said Theresa Jones, a concerned driver.

Just a day before the alleged incident, Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates appeared on Fox 45 with political commentator Armstrong Williams for Monday’s “Your Vote, Your Future” town hall program.

Among the topics discussed, Bates repeated his plans to crack down on parents when their children are criminals.

“There are some parents who, no matter what happens, don’t care what their children do. It doesn’t matter what age, they just don’t engage in parenting. These are the parents I look up to. Bates said.

However, defense attorney Brandon Mead believes prosecuting the parent could prove difficult.

“The government is going to have a lot of obstacles to really get at parents,” Mead said.

Mead says that as Maryland lawmakers convene next session, crafting legislation to hold parents accountable for crimes committed by their children could be difficult at best and impossible at worst.

“I think the legislature is going to have to overcome some constitutional hurdles when it comes to holding parents legally accountable. Because realistically, even though they are children, they are their own person,” Mead said.

Still, the city’s top prosecutor persists, as frustration fuels calls for action to hold parents or juvenile offenders accountable.

“Realistically, a lot of these kids don’t have two-parent homes. And if you take one parent and throw him in jail for the way he behaves, what impact will that have on the child in the future,” she said. Honey.