Missouri AG says juvenile system must be reformed after teen arrested for slamming girl’s head into pavement
Bailey said the justice system is failing to prosecute juvenile offenders
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has called on the state’s juvenile justice system to be reformed after a teen slammed a girl’s head into the pavement near a high school last Friday during a violent brawl that was caught on video.
Bailey was interviewed on the local radio program Wake Up Mid-Missouri Monday morning to discuss the brutal assault that sent a teen girl to the hospital in critical condition.
Andrew Bailey, Missouris attorney general, during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"Well this is horrific, and we’re seeing this happen more and more across the state where juveniles are committing violent crimes," the Republican Attorney General said, noting that two juveniles were also charged in a shooting at last month’s Kansas City Chiefs parade, resulting in a woman’s death and nearly two dozen others injured.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Over the weekend, Bailey said the suspect in Friday’s violent brawl should be tried as an adult and charged with murder if the offense rose to a homicide.
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"We’ve got to reform our juvenile system to ensure that these sorts of issues are addressed," Bailey said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He pointed to plummeting numbers of juveniles committed to the state’s Division of Youth Services for treatment as evidence that the justice system is not doing its job of prosecuting offenders.
Friday's brawl took place near the intersection of Norgate and Claudine drives, which is near Hazelwood East High School. (Google Maps)
"I’m going to be following this case closely," Bailey said. "I think there needs to be some accountability in our juvenile system. People are starting to notice that and it’s causing problems across the State of Missouri."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News Digital has reached out to the St. Louis County Police and the Hazelwood East High School for updates on the case.