NH - Kassandra - Benjamin - Mason Sweeney Shot to Death in Northfield - Juvenile Charged *ARREST*

[worm]

I don't think there's enough information for us to be speculating about mental illness or rehabilitation. It could be this kid is just a criminal or it could be he really is mentally ill and can be rehabilitated. We just don't know.

Another possibility re: the 911 call is that he called 911 himself to say what he had done. It does happen. This would point me more toward a mental illness cause if this were the case.

I don’t rule out a young impressionable person being put up to something either.

 

[ashhouston]

Be nice to have someone leak info

 

[PromotedPawn]

Be nice to have someone leak info

I think someone did. But it could all be rumors so we have to wait for verifiable information. MOO

 

[Ozoner]

Assuming that the perpetrator is 13 or older (which seems more likely than not), does anyone know what the procedure is for charging him as an adult or how long it usually takes? Is it a decision made by the district attorney? Does a judge have to approve it?

 

[Nikynoo]

Assuming that the perpetrator is 13 or older (which seems more likely than not), does anyone know what the procedure is for charging him as an adult or how long it usually takes? Is it a decision made by the district attorney? Does a judge have to approve it?

I think the clue is being charged as a juvenile and not as an adult.

If the crime had been a killing spree with no known pre-indications, I would have expected the offender to be cahrged as an adult. They were not, so IMO, that indicates that the are some known pre-indications that charging as an adult in this instance is not appropriate.

 

[Gardenista]

Assuming that the perpetrator is 13 or older (which seems more likely than not), does anyone know what the procedure is for charging him as an adult or how long it usually takes? Is it a decision made by the district attorney? Does a judge have to approve it?

This says it takes 4-6 months to decide

Juvenile charged with first-degree murder in Northfield triple homicide

Aug. 11—A minor has been arrested and charged in the death of Kassandra Sweeney and her two young sons in their Northfield home last week, authorities announced on Thursday. A statement issued by Attorney General John Formella said the juvenile has been charged with three counts of first-degree...

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Seattle1]

This says it takes 4-6 months to decide

Juvenile charged with first-degree murder in Northfield triple homicide

Aug. 11—A minor has been arrested and charged in the death of Kassandra Sweeney and her two young sons in their Northfield home last week, authorities announced on Thursday. A statement issued by Attorney General John Formella said the juvenile has been charged with three counts of first-degree...

sports.yahoo.com

When it comes to 1st-degree murder, every state is different in how it treats juvenile offenders.

Per the link in OP's post, in the state of NH, it's up to the state to decide whether or not to petition the court to certify the juvenile as an adult.

In the state of WI (Lily Peters murder), we learned it's the complete opposite. Here, the statute provides for any defendant over age 10 charged with murder to (presumptively) appear in adult court where the defense must apply/petition the court for a reverse waiver to send the case back to juvenile court. In WI, because a juvenile over 10 is presumptively charged in adult court, without identifying the juvenile, they released the age of LP's alleged killer and that the offender was known to the victim-- details we do not have in this case.

From the link:

The Thursday afternoon announcement did not give the time of the arrest.

Under New Hampshire law, juvenile court proceedings are conducted in sealed courtrooms, and records remain sealed. But state law includes a procedure to certify juveniles to stand trial as adults in open court.

A judge weighs factors such as a child's age, the severity of the crime, premeditation and community protection to make the decision. Lawyers said the process takes about four to six months, after which they can publicly discuss the case.

At a news conference later Thursday, Senior Assistant Attorney General Geoffrey Ward would not comment on whether the state would petition to certify the juvenile as an adult.

 

[TIGER0822]

It’s horrible. It looks like the boys may have spent a lot of time with their grandparents at the weekend. I wonder was there some older youth relative who was jealous? Hope not.

 

[Ozoner]

It’s horrible. It looks like the boys may have spent a lot of time with their grandparents at the weekend. I wonder was there some older youth relative who was jealous? Hope not.

I think it's likely—jealous or angry at the boys' father. Without knowing much else, killing a mother and her two children seems like a way to get back at the father.

 

[Lusitana]

I think it's likely—jealous or angry at the boys' father. Without knowing much else, killing a mother and her two children seems like a way to get back at the father.

Considering that the murderer chose to murder Kassandra, Benjamin and Mason at a time the husband/father wasn't at the residence really makes it seem that it was directed at him for some reason.

 

[weepingangel]

NH father told police he feared for family’s safety days before their killing, report says

Twelve days before the killing of his wife and two sons, Sean Sweeney found weapons in his garage and the nearby woods and told police he feared for his family's safety, according to reports.

www.masslive.com

 

[HongKongPhooey]

NH father told police he feared for family’s safety days before their killing, report says

Twelve days before the killing of his wife and two sons, Sean Sweeney found weapons in his garage and the nearby woods and told police he feared for his family's safety, according to reports.

www.masslive.com

Wow. How awful

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I wonder how the unnamed juvenile had access to these weapons in the first place. I now further wonder how he or she maintained access after SS called LE with his concerns.
Finally, I wonder if the weapons had an adult purchaser/owner.

 

[Seattle1]

NH father told police he feared for family’s safety days before their killing, report says

Twelve days before the killing of his wife and two sons, Sean Sweeney found weapons in his garage and the nearby woods and told police he feared for his family's safety, according to reports.

www.masslive.com

Hmmmm ... What are the rules for holding a minor for a mental evaluation? I'm guessing he didn't threaten harm to himself or others and it's not illegal to be acting strange???

from the 9/17/22 link:

Police logs indicate that 12 days before the killing of Kassandra Sweeney and her two sons, her husband, Sean Sweeney, found weapons in his garage and the nearby woods. He told officers that he feared for his family’s safety, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported. There was an unnamed individual in the report whose behavior Sean Sweeney was worried about.

[..]


A child was later arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the family’s deaths. The juvenile is also facing one count of falsifying physical evidence, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.

[..]

The Attorney General’s Office did not release the name or age of the child who was charged. Authorities noted that due to the age of the juvenile, state law prevents further information from being released about them since they are a minor.

[..]

However, through a public records request, the Union Leader and other news outlets were able to receive redacted copies of Northfield police logs from homicide prosecutors that shed more light on the days and weeks that led up to the slayings.

The logs that the Union Leader were sent show that Sean Sweeney twice called police in the two months that led up to his family’s slaying, once in early June and again in late July. The calls were centered on his fears about weapons found in and around his property as well as the theft of his car.

The police reports also provide details on a person, whose name is redacted in the logs, who was either living with the Sweeneys or visiting them regularly, according to the Union Leader. In the same call about the weapons in his garage and the nearby woods, Sean Sweeney told law enforcement that he was concerned about the individual’s behavior, noting that they had “been making strange comments around the house.”

“Sean is worried for his toddlers’ safety with weapons and [REDACTED] behavior,” one log entry says, according to the news outlet.

Citing the logs, the Union Leader reported that the individual, who was the subject of Sean Sweeney’s July call to police, sat at a table in the family’s home, talked with law enforcement and promised to change his behavior.

Law enforcement gave the July call a priority 2. Twelve days later, when the family was found dead, priority 1, the highest priority, was given, according to the news outlet.

 

[Lusitana]

This is horrible. How could this happen?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

This is horrible. How could this happen?

The facts really need to come out, don't they.
Justice for these victims needs to be full and complete.

 

[Lusitana]

The facts really need to come out, don't they.
Justice for these victims needs to be full and complete.

Exactly. He called several times, how could this happen? Guns were found, his car was stolen. How could LE do nothing but have a "conversation"? This is not okay.

 

[cocomod]

IMVHO, the mental health help in America needs to change. If a person calls police or even the state regarding a mental health situation, most times, if the person that is in crisis says they are not a threat to themselves or others, no help is available. Of course someone can and will say they are not a threat when really they might be.

 

[Seattle1]

IMVHO, the mental health help in America needs to change. If a person calls police or even the state regarding a mental health situation, most times, if the person that is in crisis says they are not a threat to themselves or others, no help is available. Of course someone can and will say they are not a threat when really they might be.

I'm afraid this situation was further impacted by the age of the accused. Many questions here include whether or not a parent or guardian can commit or place a medical hold on a minor against their will. A horrific tragedy for an entire family.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

IMVHO, the mental health help in America needs to change. If a person calls police or even the state regarding a mental health situation, most times, if the person that is in crisis says they are not a threat to themselves or others, no help is available. Of course someone can and will say they are not a threat when really they might be.

Well, it's a little more complicated. People can say they're not a danger, but if the evidence proves otherwise (for example, they've made a will, written a suicide note, given away their possessions), they can still be taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Most of the time, there is no evidence that someone is a danger to themselves or others. The reason those policies are in place is to protect people who may be mentally ill but aren't a danger to anyone, which most mentally ill people aren't.

For every story like this we hear, there are millions in which the mentally ill were able to retain their civil rights without any bad outcome. We only hear about the ones that end in tragedy because they're the ones that make the news.

I also agree that the suspect's youth may have also played a role in this. It's tragic all the way around.

If anyone is interested in why these laws are in place and how they impact healthcare workers, you should read the book "Aurora." It's written by the psychiatrist who was treating the Aurora, CO mass shooter.