A 13-year-old girl was sent to an adult prison after giving police a false name and age during shoplifting charges.
A shocking incident recently emerged involving a 13-year-old girl who was discovered in an adult prison after she misled law enforcement about her name and age.
This unusual case began on August 18 when the girl was arrested for shoplifting at a Dollar General store in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.
13-year-old girl lied about her age and name after being arrested for shoplifting
Shoplifting is a minor crime, but the situation became more serious due to her false statements.
When police officers arrived and questioned her, she provided them with incorrect information about her identity.
She told them she was 18 years old and gave them a fake name.
Because of these lies, she was treated as an adult and taken to an adult prison, where she spent time before her true age was revealed.
The lying about age of 13-year-old girl could lead to severe consequence
The process of placing someone in an adult prison is not typical for someone as young as 13.
Normally, teenagers involved in minor crimes are processed through the juvenile justice system.
Juvenile detention centers are designed specifically for minors and focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
On the other hand, adult prisons are more severe, with strict rules and harsher environments.
This mistake could have had serious consequences for the girl if her real identity had not been discovered.
The staff recognized the girl from a missing person report.
The turning point in the case came when a staff member at the prison recognized the girl from a missing person report.
After further investigation, the authorities confirmed that the 13-year-old had been reported missing.
“It was either a jail employee or an inmate who saw the photo of this juvenile as a missing person and recognized her as being housed in the Beaver County jail.
Shortly thereafter, her parents were contacted, and they came to pick her up, relieved that she was safe.
“Immediately, the deputy warden isolated the juvenile to keep her by herself.
They contacted her parents, and her parents came and picked her up,” Bible said.
Attorney Nate Bible, representing the family, confirmed that the girl’s parents were informed of her well-being.
They must have been in disbelief upon learning that she had been held in an adult jail.
The shoplifting charges against her have since been transferred to juvenile court, recognizing her status as a minor.
What did authorities speak out on the matter?
Despite the unusual circumstances, the police faced some criticism for not identifying her as a minor during the initial arrest.
Bible defended the actions of law enforcement, stating that officers often encounter individuals who provide false information.
This is particularly true for those with outstanding warrants.
He emphasized that they could not simply release her without confirming her identity.
Pittsburgh Police had previously issued missing person alerts about the girl on August 6, indicating she had been seen in the area using public transport.