Bingo! You know I'm aware that there are sophisticated teens out there who have a higher level of cunning or maturity or whatever. They still all deal with frontal love development issues but yeah, some are more sophisticated than others.
I just don't think ET is that kid
How can you tell? Well looking at their patterns of behavior and communication is one way. To me, ET's were decidedly young. She wasnt the teen some have discussed who talks about religion, politics, philosophy, art or literature. She wasn't some practiced teen criminal out burglarizing houses or hurting other kids for fun. She seemed to me be a little girl with romantic fantasies and self esteem issues, as well as a desire for status and to rise above those who bullied her.
Another thing to look at is the history of the kid. Many homeschooled kids can lack the sophistication of kids who go to public school and who are exposed to a wider diversity of people, thought and experiences. (Note I said "many", not all. I'm not debating the merits of homeschooling).
ET had been homeschooled most of her life and reportedly had been having trouble fitting in.
Besides educational history is any history of past abuse or exploitation. That can make a child even more vulnerable to further exploitation and abuse as you have so clearly pointed out. Yes, for some it can force them to grow up and give them a "burnt by the sun" sort of knowingness. But in others it can do the opposite and create a child whose desire for normalcy and happiness makes them have a hard time seeing the dangers of a dangled carrot.
We know that ET was abused in the past.
Then there is there conduct in relation to whatever significant event has occurred. Like a crime that they are either a part of as victim of perp. Did their conduct indicate an understanding of actual consequences? Did they display a cunning in trying to cover up the crime or did they inadvertently or purposefully leave clues about what was going to happen or had happened?
I think ET showed no understanding of the reality of getting in a car with her predator.
Finally, and very important, is there an imbalance of power involved? In situations where a minor is involved in a crime either as a possible perp, a
victim or both, we look at who else is involved. Was there an older person involved who may have been manipulating the situation? Controlling the child? Influencing or orchestrating what was going on?
Like in the Jeffrey Easley case (the 12 year old he took after murdering her mother). The very presence of an adult or older child who has greater power, knowledge, cunning, resources, experience or sophistication in a situation involving a crime, may indicate a lower level of sophistication of the child involved. That's because predatory people pick victims or underlings they can coerce or manipulate.
All in all I see ET as a very unsophisticated kid even for her age who is in deep danger and has no idea what to do and how to get out of it.
