Maryland girl pleads ‘responsible’ for bullying
LEONARDTOWN, Md. >> A 17-year-old Maryland girl accused of assaulting an autistic boy pleaded “responsible” to two misdemeanor charges after her case was transferred from adult to juvenile court.
A “responsible” plea is the juvenile equivalent of a “guilty” plea in adult court. The teen entered the plea to the charges of second-degree assault and distribution of an obscene video.
She was originally charged with false imprisonment, child pornography solicitation, and first-degree assault stemming from abuses authorities say she and a 15-year-old girl inflicted on the 16-year-old boy: holding him at knifepoint, forcing him to walk on a frozen lake, and attempting to force him to have sex with a dog.
The girl is to be sentenced next week to an inpatient juvenile residential program.
The Associated Press does not name juvenile defendants.