Hundreds of Kids Arrested at Schools

Handcuffs in Hallways: Hundreds of elementary students arrested at U.S. schools

At 06:19, a 7-year-old child was arrested and charged with first degree arson for allegedly setting their family’s home on fire in West Virginia. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department reported that the child deliberately set fire to the house while their parents were inside, but everyone made it out alive. Two people suffered minor burns. A photo of the home engulfed in flames was shared on Facebook by the department, which stated that no further information is available as the investigation is ongoing and the case sensitive.

In West Virginia, charges can be brought against children by citation or criminal complaint, but juvenile arrest rules vary by state. In 2022, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation into law that prevents children under the age of 12 from facing arrest and prosecution for virtually all crimes in the state. Arrests of children in the U.S. are not uncommon. According to News’ analysis, during the 2017-2018 school year, more than 700 children were arrested in U.S. elementary schools.

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Caitlin O’Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for News and its good news brand, The Uplift.

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