GUILTY MO - Teresa 'Tressa' Potts, 12, shot to death, Jasper, 8 Oct 2015

[rachelle]

(First time starting a topic, hope I do this right.)


http://m.ky3.com/boy-13-arrested-for-shooting-death-of-girl-12-in-jasper-county/21050392_35747222


JASPER, Mo. -
Jasper County authorities have arrested a 13-year-old boy in the shooting death of a 12-year-old girl.

The sheriff’s office reports deputies responded to a call of a shooting in Jasper Thursday evening. When they arrived, they found Teresa Potts suffering from a gunshot wound. Deputies attempted CPR, and the girl was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

 

[rachelle]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/13-year-boy-accused-fatal-shooting-12year-girl-34373202

"A 13-year-old boy appears to have deliberately shot and killed a 12-year-old girl outside a home in rural southwest Missouri with a gun that came from the house, the local sheriff said Friday.

Officers tried to revive the girl, Teresa J. Potts, but she died Thursday evening near the town of Jasper in front of a foster home, Jasper County Sheriff Randee Kaiser said. Jasper is about 130 miles south of Kansas City."

More info in link.

 

[MissUnderstood]

There seems to be a lot of kids killing kids with guns. These laws surely need to change about gun ownership in the US!


MOO!!

 

[KaaBoom]

(First time starting a topic, hope I do this right.)


http://m.ky3.com/boy-13-arrested-for-shooting-death-of-girl-12-in-jasper-county/21050392_35747222


JASPER, Mo. -
Jasper County authorities have arrested a 13-year-old boy in the shooting death of a 12-year-old girl.

The sheriff’s office reports deputies responded to a call of a shooting in Jasper Thursday evening. When they arrived, they found Teresa Potts suffering from a gunshot wound. Deputies attempted CPR, and the girl was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Just another normal day in America.

 

[Laughing]

There seems to be a lot of kids killing kids with guns. These laws surely need to change about gun ownership in the US!


MOO!!

What we need in the good ole' USA is improved mental health services!

People kill people.

 

[scmom]

Always talk about changing the gun laws. Never any constructive suggestions.

 

[Lulu14]

There seems to be a lot of kids killing kids with guns. These laws surely need to change about gun ownership in the US!


MOO!!

There are a lot of children killing with knives, bats or their own hands. Remember Maddy Middleton?

 

[Betty P]

There seems to be a lot of kids killing kids with guns. These laws surely need to change about gun ownership in the US!


MOO!!

I've been reading up on a lot of these cases. It's shocking how many kids are killing each or themselves with guns, or are caught by others (neighbors, etc.) playing with them. I don't have stats at hand, but most of these cases seem to be accidents, kids just playing around and accidentally discharging the firearm.

So yes, it would be very beneficial if parents and others weren't leaving guns around where kids can reach them.

Here's a news story from Cleveland this week about a woman who overheard kids outside talking about a gun. She went out and got them to give her the gun and magazine, then called police. She likely saved their lives.

Two Boys, A Gun and a Hero

She confronted the boys, aged 12 and 7, and demanded the magazine. She gestured at the purple bag that the 7-year-old was holding. Nervously, he handed it to her. She saw a gun -- the modern, AB-10 version of the Tec-9 pistol. That weapon was made famous by the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School.

One of the boys claimed to have found the semi-automatic weapon in his house.

One of the kids found the gun on the fireplace mantle in his home.

The problem is the growing number of people keeping a growing number of guns in their homes.

 

[rachelle]

No announcement of charges in foster home shooting



http://m.joplinglobe.com/news/crime...030-712a-11e5-b0ee-437a86602966.html?mode=jqm

 

[LaborDayRN]

It's a foster home............with guns unsecured where children are able to get them. I sure hope there will be charges, and MANY of them!! There are loads of wonderful foster homes out there, this obviously wasn't one of them.

Theresa, I'm so sorry life handed you such a lousy hand. You didn't deserve this. RIP dear girl.

 

[Elainera]

Just another normal day in America.

This is the sentiment outside the US when people hear about these kinds of shootings in your country.

Everybody is just shaking their heads ... How did a highly developed and intelligent nation let it come to this? People are losing respect for Americans over this.

If gun laws can't be changed, or can't easily and quickly be changed, laws should at least be changed so that anybody who left their gun lying around and this led to a killing, be it accidental by small children playing with the gun, or intentional as in this case above or in school shootings, etc, should be charged as if they themselves committed the murder/manslaughter. Maybe that will make people think twice about leaving their gun lying around in the house, or wherever.

I seem to be reading of a new shooting tragedy involving children every time I come here to Websleuths. It's unfathomable. I don't understand why nothing is being done. This has been dominating the news for many years now. Nothing is changing. Just sad.

 

[rachelle]

It's a foster home............with guns unsecured where children are able to get them. I sure hope there will be charges, and MANY of them!! There are loads of wonderful foster homes out there, this obviously wasn't one of them.

Theresa, I'm so sorry life handed you such a lousy hand. You didn't deserve this. RIP dear girl.

From what I understand (this is VERY close to where I live) the children are siblings that WERE in foster care at this home in the past and were adopted 10 years ago by this family. (Also, this information was also stated by a biological sibling in the comments of a local radio/news station's Facebook page)

https://www.facebook.com/NewsTalkKZRG

 

[LaborDayRN]

From what I understand (this is VERY close to where I live) the children are siblings that WERE in foster care at this home in the past and were adopted 10 years ago by this family. (Also, this information was also stated by a biological sibling in the comments of a local radio/news station's Facebook page)

https://www.facebook.com/NewsTalkKZRG

Thanks for the information Rachelle. My mistake. :blushing: Sadly it doesn't change the fact that a weapon was left available to kids.

 

[rachelle]

Thanks for the information Rachelle. My mistake. :blushing: Sadly it doesn't change the fact that a weapon was left available to kids.

No worries! I agree, weapons should not be left accessible to children at all, and if this was the case, I hope this serves as a warning to all parents.

 

[rachelle]

http://m.joplinglobe.com/news/sheri...a3c-735d-11e5-9f8f-735ebf492986.html?mode=jqm

Sheriff issues statement clarifying relationship of children involved in last week's shooting


"Earlier reports identified the home as a foster home, but according to the statement, the youngsters involved in the incident had been adopted by the occupants of the home. The parents had previously taken in a number of foster children, which they later adopted, but there were no foster children assigned to the home at the time of the incident."

More at link

 

[rachelle]

http://m.joplinglobe.com/news/juven...e3e-736c-11e5-afff-5b7ecfd4b740.html?mode=jqm

Juvenile court: Equivalent of arson, murder charges filed against 13-year-old

"According to a release from the county's juvenile court, a petition was filed in the court last Friday alleging a juvenile committed acts which, if committed by an adult, would constitute the Class C Felony of attempted arson, the Class A felony of murder in the second degree and the felony of armed criminal action."

 

[Krisy]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/missouri-teen-pleads-guilty-fatal-shooting-sister-12-44280624

A Missouri teenager has pleaded guilty to fatally shooting his 12-year-old sister and awaits sentencing pending an evaluation.

The Joplin Globe reports ( http://j.mp/2h0xIHc ) that 15-year-old Tristan Potts pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder, armed criminal action and attempted first-degree arson.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Teen assessed 25 years for murder of sister

http://www.joplinglobe.com/news/local_news/teen-assessed-years-for-murder-of-sister/article_ce22313e-a6bf-59ec-89ac-4a9ef41cdfbe.html

Circuit Judge David Mouton assessed 15-year-old Tristan Potts 25 years in prison Monday for the murder of his 12-year-old sister and assigned him to the state's dual jurisdiction program for young offenders.

The defendant was 13 years old on Oct. 8, 2015, when he fatally shot his sister, Teresa "Tressa" Potts, in the front yard of their adoptive parents' home on Placid Road near Jasper.

The teen, who was certified to stand trial as an adult, pleaded guilty Dec. 16 to second-degree murder, armed criminal action and attempted arson in a plea deal. In addition to the 25-year sentence for murder, the judge imposed concurrent terms of 15 years for armed criminal action and seven years for attempted arson.

The Missouri Division of Youth Services evaluated the defendant before sentencing for possible placement in the state's dual jurisdiction program at Montgomery City, and deemed him qualified.

The program provides youths convicted of serious crimes with treatment, education and vocational training in a secure setting. Whereas youths adjudicated in juvenile court must be released from juvenile detention centers when they reach their 18th birthday, those convicted as adults and sent to Montgomery City may be held until they turn 21.

If the court decides that they should remain in custody past the age of 21, their sentence may be transferred to an adult prison.

In assigning Potts to the program at Monday's sentencing hearing, Mouton imposed three special conditions. The judge ordered that the teen must show a genuine commitment to participate in the program, accept any restrictions imposed on him and not pose a threat to the safety of others involved in the program.