What some young people may consider fun could easily land them in trouble with the law. They may think that their age will protect them from serious repercussions, but that is not necessarily the case. Even young people can be at risk of facing serious consequences if they stand accused of animal abuse.
It was recently reported that three teenagers in Texas were charged with animal cruelty in connection with an incident that happened earlier this year. Allegedly, a 17-year-old boy, a 17-year-old girl and a 19-year-old man robbed a convenience store in October. That same night, they purportedly picked up a stray dog and put it in their vehicle. Later that night, the teens supposedly threw the dog out of the vehicle’s window and into oncoming traffic.
Details on whether the animal survived the incident were not available. Nonetheless, the teenagers were recently taken into custody and charged with animal cruelty. Additional information on the incident itself was not provided, and it was not clear whether the teens were still being held in a detention center or if they had been released.
Facing criminal charges at any age is a serious ordeal. The parents of these Texas teens will certainly want to help their children find the best ways to handle the animal abuse charges brought against them. Repercussions for criminal charges at such a young age could have substantial and long-lasting effects on their futures, so understanding their available criminal defense options may help them address their cases as best as possible.