A boy in New York has been charged with rape and police say he’s a 7-year-old child.
Fox 8 reports that the unnamed boy has been charged with third-degree rape, stemming from an incident that allegedly happened during Thanksgiving, after someone made a sex abuse complaint. State police provided little information about the case but confirmed the charges and the child’s age.
New York City attorney, Anthony Martone, who specializes in youth defense cases, told News 7 that a rape charge against a child so young is “absurd.”
“Instinctually, it shouldn’t happen that a 7-year-old – I don’t think you even could really realize what you’re doing at 7 years old. So I think it’s absurd to charge a 7-year-old with rape. They’d have to prove he actually physically committed this act, which to me it almost seems to be an impossibility.”
New York state law indicates that children “over 7, but under 18 years of age,” can be prosecuted as juvenile delinquents. A pending New York legislature bill is pushing to increase the minimum age for being charged as a juvenile delinquent to 12 and older.
The Watertown Daily Times reports that the boy is from Brasher Falls. The case has been sent over to Family Court.
The child has been released to his parents, following a police citation.
Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Pixabay]
