5 Arrested In Burning Of Teen - Police: Teens Set Boy On Fire

JustNews.com


I'll let the report speak for itself:

"This one fits in that category of the most heinous crimes you've ever seen," said Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti.

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. -- The Broward Sheriff's Office has arrested five juveniles who investigators said set a 15-year-old boy on fire because he reported the attempted theft of a bicycle on Sunday night.

Michael Brewer, 15, was hospitalized with second-degree burns over 80 percent of his body after the Monday afternoon attack.

BSO said investigators believe Brewer owed $40 to one of his attackers for a video game. Police said they believe one of them tried to steal Brewer's bicycle in retaliation. When Brewer cooperated with the police investigation into the bike theft, the others got angry and set him on fire, police said.

"This one fits in that category of the most heinous crimes you've ever seen," said Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti.

BSO said the incident happened at about 3:15 p.m. Monday at the Lime Tree Apartments, located in the 400 block of Southeast 13th Court.

Police said five schoolmates attacked Brewer, pouring rubbing alcohol on him and setting him on fire using a lighter. Investigators said they found a lighter at the scene.

At what point did our children lose the ability to tell right from wrong, in the most disturbing way?

I had a few fights growing up, but never in a million years would I think about trying to burn someone alive.

What is it, video games, violence in the media, perpetual war, lack of parental guidance, what?

I need some help here, trying to understand this.

Like another example in the UK recently:

Doncaster torture case: 'A sustained attack of up to an hour'

Seriously, is it too much to say these cases are increasing in frequency. What is happening to our children?

kiwifoot



[edit on 13-10-2009 by kiwifoot]

I believe cases such as these are increasing in number due to the fact that our societies, as a whole, are teaching the kids that their are no bad consequences to our actions. Or how no matter how well you do, you get a pat on the back. Ohhhh a D well at least you tried. Our actions must have severe consequences, if they are bad or you get crap like this. My guess is these kids will go to child lock up until they are 18 and than get out. Or, if tried as adults they will get a 10 year sentence and spend 18 months in jail.

Hm, I can't believe nobody on ATS finds this as disturbing as I do!

Maybe the rot has set in deeper than I thought.

Apathy? Denial? Too busy watching TNG!!!?

Oh well.

People used to live to like 25, so all those horrible things in history you read about...yah, they were committed by teenagers and children.

"As parents and as leaders, we need to step up to the plate and do a better job of teaching our kids right from wrong," Lamberti said. "This was blatantly wrong. This group of kids thought that because a kid may have snitched them out and turned them in because they were trying to steal his dad's bike, in their mind, it was OK to set him on fire."

This is what's wrong, that the community sees this as a moral lesson, and not a an alarm call that something bigger has gone awry. Routinely, when children kill like this, everyone says its the parent's fault for not teaching their kids, for lack of discipline, etc.. This is everyone's fault, because as you said, it's the movies, the video games, the world and the wars we live in, the pressures of economics and the alienation of millions. It's a sick system we've trapped ourselves in, and it has to change. Not Obama change, real change. We seem to learn nothing from history.

It is the same story from over a century ago. This sort of thing went on in the streets of New York in its "Guilded Age". The first skyscrapers climbed as the ghettos crawled. People behaved appallingly, and society saw it as an issue of morality, not of poverty, despair, or the inhumanity of the situation as a whole. And the mills and sweatshops worked on into the future. Progress.

Originally posted by endisnighe
I believe cases such as these are increasing in number due to the fact that our societies, as a whole, are teaching the kids that their are no bad consequences to our actions. Or how no matter how well you do, you get a pat on the back. Ohhhh a D well at least you tried. Our actions must have severe consequences, if they are bad or you get crap like this. My guess is these kids will go to child lock up until they are 18 and than get out. Or, if tried as adults they will get a 10 year sentence and spend 18 months in jail.

I think I must agree mate.

There's too much of a softly softly approach. But in a way, saying that also shifts the blame from them to society and parents, kind of paradoxical, in a way!

Oh and thanks for posting, at least one person has an opinion on this!

kiwifoot

reply to post by kiwifoot


Gotta give us some time to see it, Kiwi.

Very disturbing. I'm really glad that someone wasn't recording it to go on youtube.

Good old U.S of A.

Don't they do this all the time where you're from Kiwi?

reply to post by KSPigpen


Aw mate, that example I gave at the bottom was in the UK, as bad if not worse. ( edit to add probably worse as there was a sexual component)

I can't recall such a case in NZ, I'm sure there must have been.

I think it's a global thing, affecting society everywhere.

But using fire freaks me out, it is so wrong, you're taught from the time you can listen that fire is bad, dangerous and deadly, to do that to another human being, well, that scares me mate.

[edit on 13-10-2009 by kiwifoot]

A psychologist said that children have bad behaviors because the parents don't know how to be parents.

That's because in school they don't teach you how to be a parent and many parents don't even read a book to know about the child's psychology.

You can still be trying your best to raise a child but if you don't know how to be a parent then your child can get out of control.

Most of the times it has to do with the father not being there for the child.

The child is like a table, both parents puts 2 legs under the table. If one parent is not there then the table is not stable.

If you watch the Maury Show then you will understand why our society is getting worse.

God it just disgusts me when I hear stories like this. The fault lies with the parents i think. Kids are being dragged up with little or no empathy. There seems to be very little consequence for kids these days and don't they know it.

reply to post by kiwifoot


war and distruction is apart of our everyday lives. how much do they beat into the youth that success is gained through finance? as job rates get lower, and disenfranchised youth runs rampant, so do their morals. i think we have ourselves to blam for allowing society to be what it is and has been throughout time. i mean we have voted in leaders of entire countries provoking war for what reason? we teach our kids that service in the military (may i remind you they have 1 job) is honorable. what more could we expect?

when are people going to realize that locking someone in a cage, with a bunch of other people locked in a cage, is only creating more of a problem. these kids get locked up for 3 years released back into society, now if not already in a gang, ready to commit even worse crimes because of the lack of fear prison presents.

[edit on 13-10-2009 by onequestion]

This is a growing problem and it is essential that something be done. These days it takes two incomes to make it in the world. Often you see one parent working two jobs. To nurture a child and instill morals and common sense at an early age is vital. A child is also influenced at school by his or her peers, video games, violent movies, and whatever.

Teen years are difficult enough as it is without the pressure of a chaotic and crazy society. Many of our youth fall into depressions and violence. At one time our kids had the world by the tail, opportunities for dreams to come to true, to be succesful and fulfilled. Now, we are seeing that even college educated kids can't find jobs. Parents are either working their tails off for endless hours, or have no jobs at all. It is a constant struggle.

If any of you know of a troubled child, try to spend some quality time with them. See what they are interested in, what they think and feel about things. Some kids don't get any validation of their worth and strike out at others.

And...wtf is in our water and food that may be contributing to behavior??? Just sayin'.

It's truly disturbing and I think everyone is responsible for the current state of our society. The biggest culprit has to be the government. If you have a corrupt government, then society itself will tend to follow by example. Just look at New Labour, the British government and the mess they've made of everything. Their policies have had a detrimental effect on our society.

Thanks to New Labour and their lenient gambling laws, one million children are now addicted to gambling. Britain also has a violence & drink problem and New labours answer was 24 hour drinking. Like that's going to help. Then there's ASBO's which are seen by teenagers as nothing but a badge of honor. I've never come across a government in my time as useless and clueless as New Labour. If I didn't know any better, you would think they were deliberately trying to destroy this country. How can anyone get it so wrong and yet continue to delude themselves that they are doing a great job, when the majority of people think otherwise.

I also think the fact that both parents are forced to go out to work and there's no one home to look after the children and younger children are being looked after by strangers has definitely got a lot to do with it. In a typical child's life, there's just less nurturing, stability, discipline & familiarity these days and there's also an increasing atmosphere of distrust amongst adults, perpetuated by govenments and their insane policies and the media fear mongering that every stranger is somehow a potential pedophile.

You have cases of children being taken into care because they were smacked by their grandparents or silly rules which state that friends cannot look after a friends child for more than two hours. If they do, they then must register with Ofsted and abide by the myriad of rules, regulations and background checks which apply to professional childminders and kindergartens. Fear is responsible for the mess we are now in and it's going to take a miracle to get us out of this mess. Kicking New Labour into touch would be a good start.

[edit on 13-10-2009 by kindred]

Originally posted by kiwifoot

Hm, I can't believe nobody on ATS finds this as disturbing as I do!

Maybe the rot has set in deeper than I thought.

Apathy? Denial? Too busy watching TNG!!!?

Oh well.

Not having replies is not indicative of any of the above. Some folks just don't know what to say about inhuman acts such as this. I for one, am just plain damn speechless as to what think of it.

Im dead against the death penalty, but its cases like this that make me on those rare occasions almost side with the pro death group. The gene and society pools are getting real bad to produce this sort of behavior.

Thing is it was from the sounds of it a revenge attack for the guy dobbing their criminal behavior in. Born Bad?... dont believe it, but gives me pause.

Originally posted by endisnighe
I believe cases such as these are increasing in number due to the fact that our societies, as a whole, are teaching the kids that their are no bad consequences to our actions. Or how no matter how well you do, you get a pat on the back. Ohhhh a D well at least you tried.

I believe cases such as these are done by sick twisted people.
I've made many mistakes as a kid, but that consists of stealing someones girl or something minor, and I still felt bad.

These kids are just sick.....

The the sooner we can get them off the streets the better.

Originally posted by Misfit
Some folks just don't know what to say about inhuman acts such as this.

'Socially unacceptable' would be an understatement...

Keyword is 'inhuman' ... you hit the description spot on.

When one is deemed to behave 'inhuman' that should open up a floodgate of punishment options.

Who would be too 'nice' or too 'good' to administer any punishment to these subhumans?

Anyhow, If I stated my opinion, I would be banned.



As a society, we all need to make a conscious effort to call these subhumans what they are and not resort to using 'easy' terms... they are no longer human or people or even criminals.


[edit on 10·14·09 by DrMattMaddix]

I am just sick and disgusted by this !!! I believe it has gotten so bad, because society has given all the power to the child and none to the parents. You cannot discipline your children anymore without facing jail time for abuse. Our society has become one of no consequence, no responsibility for actions. I wouldn't be surprised if the parents of those that burned that poor boy defend their children's actions as being provoked, I mean he did owe money.

I feel that if children feared their parents or adults for that matter, they wouldn't be so quick to act out. I grew up fearing mine, and I was only spanked (gently) a few times, and I am a tax paying, hard worker that has never hurt anyone or been in any trouble with the law. When I was young, they put that fear into me and not with stupid "time outs" They were stern and made sure that I knew if I ever did anything bad, I would pay dearly. They made me think that if I did screw up, they would make my life a living hell, but they never had to, because I had the fear. My father only had to look at me, and I would shutter.
I do not think it's because both parents work now, because both of my parents worked. I believe the blame lies with the values of those having children.

I would love to have a moment with the parents of those children. I would put the fear into them.
I am so sick of and disgusted with governments, they created this mess by taking the power away from parents. A child CANNOT have any power. Children must be controlled as long as possible, because the part of the brain that controls reason and consequence is the last part of the brain to develop, in fact it takes till the age of 20 to 24 that's why we all do so many stupid things when were young.
These boys should be removed from society forever!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by DrMattMaddix

Originally posted by Misfit
Some folks just don't know what to say about inhuman acts such as this.

'Socially unacceptable' would be an understatement...

Keyword is 'inhuman' ... you hit the description spot on.

When one is deemed to behave 'inhuman' that should open up a floodgate of punishment options.

Who would be too 'nice' or too 'good' to administer any punishment to these subhumans?

Anyhow, If I stated my opinion, I would be banned.

 

As a society, we all need to make a conscious effort to call these subhumans what they are and not resort to using 'easy' terms... they are no longer human or people or even criminals.

I think the word would more appropriately be 'inhumane'. They're still humans afterall.

They are evil people that are doing evil things to others. According to reports I've read, they even laughed about it and had no remorse. After they got locked up, sure they were upset then about being punished. They are a danger to society and need to be kept locked up like the animals they are.

I caught this story on the news earlier and my stomach actually turned. I would love to meet the parents behind these 15 year old psychos. They should all be tried as adults. The victim will bare these scars for the rest of his life.

All over a video game and a stolen bike. Whatever happened to a classic one on one fist fight in the parking lot after school? It seems that every attack nowadays is now a group attack on one person.

They are all sick cowards and should be treated as such. They probably abuse animals as well.