Criminal accusations made by children in Wheeling are rightly treated very seriously by authorities. Yet at the same time, their sources should also be considered before any guilt is assumed. While kids may indeed be capable of correctly identifying criminal activity, their lack of maturity and experience may cause them to misinterpret situations or embellish details, potentially leading to criminal charges that may not entirely be warranted. The hope that such accusations are not all law enforcement officials rely on when arresting an charging an individual.
It was just such an accusation that recently led to the arrest of a Weston man for allegedly sexually abusing a young girl. Authorities were called in after the girl’s foster parent took her to see a doctor after the girl told him that the man had been raping her. The doctor who evaluated the girl confirmed that his findings did indeed raise some concerns. In a subsequent interview, the girl claimed that the man had forced her to have intercourse with him on multiple occasions. The man’s relationship with the girl as well as his means of access to her were not reported.
Allegations such as this are indeed serious, yet despite their severity, should still be viewed from the perspective of having come from a child. Without corroborating physical evidence that supports what children are saying in these cases, authorities should proceed with caution in prosecuting such cases so as to not allow fervor over a supposed crime prejudice their judgment. Criminal defendants who require assistance in ensuring that this indeed happens may find in the form of an experienced defense attorney.
