Two pre-teens in Hagerstown, Maryland, were questioned after officials found 13 bombs made from soda bottles at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A resident who lived near the building contacted the authorities about the bombs. When the fire department investigated the bombs, three were found to pose no danger. They continued to investigate the remaining bombs.
The authorities said that young people often find out about soda bottle bombs from looking online online. They most likely do not fully understand the dangers and think the devices look fun. Neighbors commented that they didn’t believe that the children wanted to commit a crime of vandalism to hurt anyone or damage the church property.
Due to the upcoming presidential election and the Mormon faith of Republican candidate Mitt Romney, some church members expressed concern that the bombs were a direct attack on their Mormon faith. A church facilities manager said that they have had some prior problems with property damage. In addition, other churches in the region have encountered vandalism recently, and property damage at LDS facilities is up across the country.
In some cases, juveniles can get themselves into trouble without knowing how it happened. Because pre-teens are not yet mature, they are not fully aware of the consequences of their actions. However, ignorance of the law is no excuse, especially when it comes to committing a crime. Juveniles who are accused of criminal offenses need effective legal representation. A criminal defense attorney knows how to advocate for the young members of society and defend them should charges be made against them.
Source: WJLA-TV, “Two juveniles apprehended for Maryland bottle bombs,” Steven Tschida, Oct. 9, 2012