12-year-old charged with hitting a woman in the face with a screwdriver during a robbery appears in court; attorney describes him as a ‘good kid’

12-Year-Old Boy Faces Charges in Seattle Robbery Case

A 12-year-old boy charged with assaulting a woman using a screwdriver during a robbery in Seattle appeared in juvenile court on Tuesday. According to reports, his lawyer described him as a “good boy” and requested his release to his parents. There was also a moment when his father made a heartfelt appeal to the judge.

The judge, however, didn’t agree with the defense’s stance. She found enough evidence to believe that the boy likely committed first-degree robbery, which under state law involves the use of a deadly weapon and potential injury to a victim. As a result, she ordered him to be held in secure juvenile detention.

In juvenile court, it’s typically not possible to set bail; the juvenile either remains in custody or may be released. The defense maintained that the boy’s parents would supervise him closely, yet the state pointed out ongoing behavioral issues. Their argument included a mention of the potential for electronic home monitoring, which the defense seemed open to consider.

Video coverage showed the boy, whose face was not visible, appearing emotional during the proceedings. His lawyer emphasized the boy’s age, mentioning that he had only turned 12 a few months ago and had no prior run-ins with the law.

Despite this, Judge Tanya Thorpe noted her concern over the boy’s repeated encounters with law enforcement, expressing, “that is of great concern to me.”

Details from the incident indicate that the boy, wearing a bright pink ski mask, allegedly attacked a 43-year-old woman at an Amazon Fresh store. Police reported that he struck her multiple times before using the screwdriver. After stealing her purse, he returned to assault her again before fleeing the scene.

Authorities managed to identify and locate him through previous interactions. After pursuing him on foot, they later obtained a search warrant to arrest him at his home, taking him into custody without any issues.

The Seattle Police Department is still investigating the case, which has yet to be formally handed over to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors indicated that this is a standard procedure and that the burden of proof required for formal charges is higher than what is needed for the initial hearing.

The King County Prosecutor’s Office received a referral from Seattle Police and anticipates making a decision regarding charges later this week. As per state law, a 12-year-old facing first-degree robbery charges must stay in juvenile court, and authorities do not possess the power to transfer such cases to adult court, regardless of the situation.