Children Speak Out About Being Robbed
Children who were robbed by a high school student appeared on The Today Show this morning to discuss what they learned from the theft. The kids, between the ages of seven and eleven, were selling Fourth of July gear at the local pool to try to raise some extra money. A high school student and cheerleader named Chelsea Steele approached the table and chatted up the girls and their father. When the father’s back was turned, Steele suddenly ran off with the cash box, jumped in her friend’s car, and drove off.
While a seven-year-old advocated a rather hardline approach to the robbers–”I hope they stay in jail forever until they die,” he said with a smile–an eleven-year-old girl spoke more encouragingly about the kindness of strangers, explaining that a man came by after the cash box had been stolen and replenished the money out of his own pocket.
When asked if he would consider dropping the lawsuit against the teenager, who has expressed her desire to apologize to the involved children directly, the children’s father gave a firm no. “I want her to learn a lesson from this,” he said. I am completely sympathetic to his thinking–Steele certainly needs to be accountable for her behavior–but I also think that any otherwise functioning 17-year-old who would openly steal from little kids clearly needs some help. As one of the kids on the Today Show wisely put it, “The attorney [for Chelsea Steele] said that teenagers will be teenagers. That’s not a normal teenager.”
Do you think pressing charges against Steele is a good lesson for children that bad deeds don’t go unpunished, or do you think the kids would benefit more from being taught about forgiveness?
Photo: 11alive.com
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Tags: cheslea steele, children, good samaritan, robbery, theft, today show
10 Comments
Bluster commented on Jul 10 09 at 4:45 pmI can see why some might think that publishing her name in the hall of shame is enough punishment for someone guilty of a grab and run as long as she pays back the money stolen). But, if she had been involved in a hold-up, well??
At seventeen, though, one expects a little bit more maturity.
Toy Kitchen commented on Jul 10 09 at 4:48 pmIf you don’t hit her hard with consequences now, the next step will be to pull more dangerous thefts the next time around.
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Marj commented on Jul 10 09 at 6:43 pmI think not pressing charges would show the kids that bigger and meaner always wins out. I mean, she’s said she wants to apologize to them, but is that sincere? Or just, if I apologize they will drop the charges and I get away with this? Forgiveness is the place of family and religion, not the law.
Mistress_Scorpio commented on Jul 10 09 at 7:40 pmFrak forgiveness. Press charges. She’s a criminal.
Christina commented on Jul 11 09 at 12:28 amTeens act less mature than eight year olds. Maybe due to their raging hormones, their newfound liberties, the media, etc. Teens need help not prosecution.
Mistress_Scorpio commented on Jul 11 09 at 1:40 pmTeens need discipline. She needs to be treated like the criminal she is. If her parents couldn’t do a good enough job teaching her right from wrong, then they can get her help after she serves her time.
Cassie commented on Jul 15 09 at 9:24 amWhat about the other girls? She did not do this alone???
Cassie commented on Jul 15 09 at 9:26 amThe other girls are Big bullies at Sprayberry and are 18 years old. We know she did not do this alone. It was Alexa McClousky and Katie Leathers which were kicked out of school for problems and scaring people.
Cassie commented on Jul 15 09 at 9:28 amKatie Leathers and Alexa Mcklowsky are running around free, drinking, stealing. Having a good old time. Just check their My Space. They think this is funny.
Ri-chan commented on Oct 25 09 at 5:41 pmShe knew exactly what she was doing and she definatly deserves some jail time. Everyone knows you don’t steel candy from a baby (or money from little children)
