PA - Girl, 13, shoots stepdad to death after sexual assault

[Peter Hamilton]

Peter,

They have decided now to charge her as a juvenile.

Long article:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/08/07/father.slain.folo.ap/index.html

Story Highlights
13-year-old girl tells investigators she shot father with shotgun

Her attorney says the attack was precipitated by years of sexual abuse

House is filled with fleas, broken furniture, empty cans and stench of cat urine

"I've been in crack houses that have been nicer," private investigator says

-------

Things that stood out to me in the article:

The girl was sent to a psychiatric clinic Friday and, on Monday, officials there determined she should remain for up to another 20 days.

A hearing was scheduled for Tuesday to get a judge to approve transferring the case to juvenile court.

and

Nightingale told a judge last week that his client "specifically requested her mother not be involved at this point. There are serious issues of alienation."

--Good to hear--Thanks for the update Deb

 

[SewingDeb]

From the links it sounds like they have not said by whom she was raped. Quote from her attorney:

Attorney Patrick Nightingale said, "It's our belief there was an incident of abuse that took place before the father passed out.”
Channel 11’s Renee Kaminski asked, “Physical, sexual?”
Nightingale said, “That remains to be seen."

 

[SewingDeb]

You're welcome Peter.

 

[Bobbisangel]

From the links it sounds like they have not said by whom she was raped. Quote from her attorney:

Attorney Patrick Nightingale said, "It's our belief there was an incident of abuse that took place before the father passed out.”
Channel 11’s Renee Kaminski asked, “Physical, sexual?”
Nightingale said, “That remains to be seen."

You can bet that the sexual abuse didn't just start that night. But that night was probably the last time that the girl was going to put up with it and she decided to stop it by killing him. I don't blame her. That was probably the only way that she knew to make him stop.

 

[SewingDeb]

I agree Bobbi.

I'm wondering if he also let other men rape her. The question comes from the last article linked where they mention that it is not known who raped her and her attorney saying it remains to be been whether the father's abuse was physical or sexual.