13-Year-Old Faces Criminal Charges After Argument Escalates
According to Virginia state law, maliciously injuring another person is against the law and can result in serious consequences. According to a recent report, a 13-year-old boy is now facing a charge of malicious bodily injury by means of any caustic substance after an alleged altercation with another teen went too far. Juvenile criminal offense convictions can have a long-lasting impact on a teen’s life.
According to investigators, the two Virginia teens, ages 13 and 14, were dropped off at a local city park to cook at a grill nearby. The teens reportedly started arguing over who would get to light the grill for the cookout, and the argument quickly turned physical. The 13-year-old proceeded to douse the 14-year-old with charcoal lighter fluid and set fire to the 14-year-old’s clothes. A witness said she saw the 14-year-old running while covered in flames, and said that he eventually fell to the ground and rolled around to try to put out the fire. The 14-year-old apparently was later admitted to the hospital with second and third-degree burns to his chest and arm.
In order for prosecutors to prove that someone is guilty of malicious bodily injury, they will need to first prove that the alleged perpetrator acted maliciously, or intentionally without provocation. They will also need to establish that he caused bodily injury to another person by any means, such as with a caustic substance. Finally, the prosecutors will need to show that the alleged perpetrator acted with the intent to maim, disable, disfigure or kill the other person.
Generally, the most difficult element for prosecutors to prove is intent, as there is often no tangible evidence that the person was trying to seriously harm the other person. Defense attorneys will sometimes work to show that their client did not intend to harm the other party and that things accidentally got out of hand.
Schedule a free consultation now with our Fairfax VA Juvenile Criminal Offense Attorney to discuss the facts of your case.
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