THANK YOU ranjan.
I am so sick of people "dummy-ing down" kids.
Teenage gangbangers murder people, but nope...can't put them away, they are just KIDS!
Teenagers who steal cars, do drugs, all these crimes, nope, too bad. We'll send them to juvenile homes. Then, guess what! When they turn of age we will erase all the naughty "little" things they did as a kid so they can start all brand new as grown ups.
Of course, they will think they can still get away with (literal) murder because they did before.

The reason we have so much trouble with teens today is the very same reasoning some of you are touting here. When you have a child you raise them and teach them right from wrong (hopefully!). Then as he gets older you let go a little at a time hoping they will choose to do the right thing. I have had 3 children who are now grown. each one was different but each one knew right from wrong at an early age! These kids need to be responsible for what they did. There is no way you can tell me they didn't know it was wrong! Why did they run then??? Also the keys to the vehicle was stolen a few days before the accident. Also the police said they were very familiar with these kids, meaning they must have been in trouble before! These kids need to know without a doubt that they are responsible for a death! I feel for the mother who lost a child and will never get her back!

I would like to know why these 14 and 15 year olds were not home at that time of day! My 14 year old isnt even allowed outside after 9pm/ dark, and especially not with friends! That is when trouble happens. These parents should have to be held somewhat responsible for that! Although I believe the children should know better so they should be tried as an adult! This is just ridiculous! I am very saddened for the family of the child that died!

To you think you know it all bleeding hearts! Most people DON'T KILL someone in their life time,so if someone does you people want to find a good reason to coddle them,to young,didn't know any better,mental,didn't know what they were doing,everyone needs to answer for there actions. If the law were to hand down more severe punishments,these type of people that break the law wouldn't want the consequences that follow,how are we to have a safer world,when all these punks get is a slap on the hand. When the law took the rights of the parents away,by not letting them punish their children,is when all hell broke out with them "NOT" having respect for no one. You select few think i don't have a soul,a mistake is when you forget to take out the trash,that CAN be corrected,this can not,one time is one to many.

I am not saying they don't need punishment, OF COURSE they need to be punished, but the behavior they portrayed was just that of an immature young teen! And I am doubting they won't care about what happened, the soul can be a VERY sorrowful place. And that is something we all have whether we choose to acknowledge it or bury it....and this will never escape their souls. And I am sure they are going to mature quite rapidly as their punishments start to take place...faster then they wanted to. No, this shouldn't be brushed off as a childish mishap, but we need to remember, this was the actions of children, and I most certainly can put money on, children with issues of one type or another, and now those issues just got larger. You know, compassion doesn't mean you have to agree with what a person did, but compassion is for another human being, and that is what I have for each and every person involved in this mess. I appreciate the anger of you and others, but I cannot with a clear conscience stand back and back these children, that is what works for me, I am not saying anyone else has to agree with me, but I choose to think all people are good somewhere inside, sometimes a little false wiring takes place, and glitches happen....unfortunate glitches.

LADY, you are assuming the SUV is a GM....we don't know that. And if this wasn't such a tragedy, I would find humor in your statement. It certainly was full of wit.

toyota vs. SUV . can we see pictures of the cars? That'd be a good GM poster to hang up

Teens don't have the ability to process long term consequences, short term yes, and some of the scenarios being made here are absolutely ridiculous. Look back at some of the things you are saying and comparing, there is no sense in them. And yes, MELSTEW.......WOODSMAN needs a soul transplant that is for sure.

These kids CANNOT be charged as adults. It is a PROVEN psychological fact that a child's brain isn't cognitively developed enough to reason out the future consequences of their in the heat of the moment decisions. This is why kids don't have a license at 13, 14 or 15. They don't have the common sense (I am not being mean by this, just truthful) to be able to handle an emergency situation nor the maturity. This is also why the drinking age is at a certain age...it isn't to be mean, it is because of the lack of judgement of teens. I just feel terrible for these kids. Just terrible. Sure they messed up, and in the worst possible way, but that doesn't mean that they are the exception to the rule that a teens mind isn't fully developed....

Oh, I feel soooooooooooooo bad for these boys along with the other passengers and the poor girl who passed away. Obviously this was a group of troubled teens if they were all in a stolen vehicle etc., I can't imagine the junk they are going to live with now. Just a pure tragedy for ALL involved. And YES, even the man in the SUV, for once it WASN'T the Drunk Drivers fault.

I am on the fence with this one.. No doubt the kids are at fault- and deserve punishment, but I dont know that trying them as adults is the answer..They seem to be at ages that possibly rehabilitation may actually work. I guess that would depend on what kinda of possible priors they have had...But I do wonder why such young kids are out running around at 12:00am..To the poster who said we cant be held liable for are kids all the time etc.. etc.. Well umm guess what? As a parent you are FINANCIALLY liable as well as morally.. There will be a civil suit- wait and see. Tradgedy for all.

We just have to remember that roughly (and I'm guessing here) 95% of all teenagers grow up to be semi-responsible adults and lead decent lives. We just don't read about them very often in the newspaper. I bet most of us have done things in our teenage years that now have us going, "What the BLEEP were we thinking?" Maybe not as far as a stolen vehicle, but stupid things none-the-less. I would think the previous record of these boys should come into account before deciding how to try them in a court of law. Was it a "one-time" insanity or just one in a list of wrongs? Tough call.

wow, we really have some cold hearts around here. yes, a child died. tragic. i don't see that she was forced into the vehicle. these were all friends according to the articles. these kids have to live the rest of their lives knowing that they caused the death of a friend. yes, they were wrong. nothing can bring the girl back, unfortunately. as a mother of teenagers, i can see where kids could have the ability to think they're out joyriding and something tragic happen. kids at this age are still trying to figure out who they are! i feel for the families of all the kids involved. definately most for the girl who passed, but also for the mental health of those who lived. they will probably regret this choice for the rest of their lives and suffer every day. i think juvenile justice is appropriate here.

Actually, in Wisconsin, parents are responsible for what their kids do until they turn 18, so the parents of the idiots that were driving could be in for some huge lawsuits, I sure wouldn't be surprised. Hope they have insurance, and that probably won't be enough. Life as they knew it for many families there is OVER.

I can respect your questions 15yearsthere.

Come_on_people says: "Teenagers do not have good judgment skills or always understand the consequences of their actions."

So, what you are saying is that a 15-year-old sits at the crosswalk to cross the street with traffic coming both ways-- they don't have the skills or reasoning of the consequences of their actions if they decide to cross the street with a tractor trailer coming to the intersection at 50 miles an hour?

Don't underestimate the knowledge of a child (or teen). With my experiences in asking children and adults simple questions, the child gets the answers right. The older we get, the greater the chances of us not 'getting it' with the simple things in life.

melstew47 - Had they been adults when the ALLEGED crime was committed they should be treated like adults. The catch here is they are NOT adults thus will not be treated as such. Read the article people. No one here will be charged with Murder because murder was not committed. Again, read the article. You wonder why are young people turn out like they do. If the adults/parents on this blog are the norm we are in trouble.

for all of you who think parents should be charged and held accountable for everything, their kids do,what are you thinking? if that happened in every case there would be tons of parents in jail or prison. and another thing society took parents rights away along time ago.most of these kids that get into trouble,because they can get away with it.as far as the WOODSMAN and those who agree with him,sir you need a transplant of your soul,because you dont have one,you are very bitter.by no means should these kids get probation and a slap on the wrist, they knew exactly what they were doing.i dont want to hear some bleeding heart lawyer say they had troubled lives, or they come from broken homes,because i dont care,a life was lost due their actions,and you can tell your kids all day long and continually ground them, theyre going to do what they want.so quit blaming the parents everytime a kid messes up,the system took that right away from parents long ago,so let those bleeding hearts take responsibility for these out of control kids.

they need to be put in a juvenile facility until the age of 18.then be given the proper sentence at the age of 18,as any adult would.

No big, absolutely not--I'm guessing the 7 year old didn't bolt from the scene either.....right? You can't honestly be attempting to compare the mentality of a 7 year old to that of a 15 year old........or are you?:)

Patch- "Let criminal justice system work as it is intended. We don't need to act as the judge and jury after reading very limited information in the newspaper." Isn't that the whole point of having blogs with each story?! LOL!

I know a seven-year old, who put his car in drive and ran over his brother. Should we have prosecuted him? I'm sure he was trying to "act like an adult" too.

Good post Janesvillean. I was going to make the same point, but you beat me to it.
Many people have also commented about the fact that they stole a car. However, the circumstances of the theft have not been published. Its possible that this was a fifteen year old with a learners permitt. Its also possible that he stole the family car after having many supervised hours behind the wheel with his parents.
Its also possible that the car was stolen from a total stranger and was taken for a joyride without any concern for the public, the vehicle, or the occupants of the vehicle. The circumstances will be considered in the proper court of law.
Let criminal justice system work as it is intended. We don't need to act as the judge and jury after reading very limited information in the newspaper.

Vehicular homicide is, in fact, a special case of negligent homicide -- essentially manslaughter. Murder requires the intent to kill or create injury. Nobody commenting here has seen or cited any evidence of intent (it was one of their friends who died).
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Deliberate murder would almost certainly call for charges in adult court. This wasn't murder. Tragic, yes, but not murder.

As much as I agree with your emotional desires to see them charged/tried as adults; that decision rests with the prosecuting attorney's office. They have to petition the court to get them waived into adult court. They were charged as juveniles because STATE LAW says they are. Don't like it? Contact your state legislators to have the law changed.

Not murder--there was no intent to kill--these two should definitely should be tried as adults and charged with manslaughter though. At 15 there is no doubt one knows right from wrong. The fact that they ran away from the scene leaving two to die there is evidence of that fact. Sad to say, but lock them up.......

Whoanellie- great point!!

There are a lot of adults who don't make great decisions either, lets just charge all the stupid people in juvenile court!! You can't tell me that these kids didn't know that stealing a car is wrong and driving without a license is wrong.....GIVE ME A BREAK!!

These hooligans should be tried as adults!!! They committed MURDER after they STOLE a car! I'm sorry if you don't teach your kids right from wrong before they turn 14 or 15 you should not be a parent! They are not idiots, they just wanted to get away with it!Also if your kids don't know right from wrong before that age why would you ever think of letting them get their license a short year later???? Parents, step up!

prevention-Similar question, are observations facts?

Your logic is whats wrong with this country: I didn't know there was a age for when someone should be charged with murder,if you do it your of age to pay the price jmo! All these kids need to be locked up,for a long time,o.k. you bleeding hearts,your turn. Where were the parents i ask,to allow these kids out of the house,charge them too. I hope they all have ins. to pay for that guys truck,he is a victim to.

I agree with ljs...they ARE juveniles! Teenagers do not have good judgment skills or always understand the consequences of their actions. I am in no way condoning what these kids did, but they are juveniles none the less.

MOCO: brwe does make a valid point. There are, at the minimum, observations, that such games as Grand Theft Auto are fuel for the fire in SOME people who are more apt to do something like this in real life. Notice I say SOME. Unless you are antisocial and have a personality disorder, it is fair to say you are not in that category.

Besides, how do you cite a source that is common knowledge? For example, a STOP sign is a red octagon. Who do I cite with that? The DOT?

brwe-Is your post fact or your opinion?

brwe: Site your source since it is common knowledge. I play video games and I'm not getting any closer to doing something this stupid. You are grasping at best. It may be your opinion but that does not make it fact.

As for the boys, charge them as adults, they knew what they were doing.

In their pea brains they think their all grown up,so charge them as adults.Murder is murder,whether it be a gun or car,now is the times to send a message to the other punks out there!

Wow, Gee! I never thought of that!
Another burst of wisdom from ljs.

Honestly.
If a juvenile commits an adult crime, they should be charged as such. Stealing a candy bar is a child crime. Murder isn't. Did I draw enough of a picture for you? Or do you need me to drag out the crayons?

They are being charged as juveniles because they ARE JUVENILES

It's fairly common knowledge that thrill-seeking is progressive. You can only "kill" so many victims via video games before the thrill wears thin. Then, you need something more dangerous, more graphic, etc., to provide the same effect. Besides, anyone who doesn't realize our system of juvenile "justice" produces little or no deterrent value is still living in their ivory tower!

Mikki: not to mention fled the scene, driving with out a license and driving above the "limit" (graduated license requirements).
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Staying at home playing Grand Theft Auto on the Wii would have been the same thrill---and everyone would have still been alive!

I can't believe they are being charged as juveniles. They stole a car and killed someone.