13 Middle School Students Facing Battery Charges
When you are on any kind of team, you expect that your teammates will support you. Unfortunately, a middle school student experienced the opposite. He was recently attacked by teammates while in a school locker room.
However, the students did not get away with their actions. The 13 students from Landmark Middle School who were involved were all issued juvenile civil citations. They are now facing misdemeanor battery charges.
The charges come after an 11-year-old boy was attacked by his teammates in the locker room after football practice in late September. The boy’s family believes the attack happened because the boy was set to become the team’s running back. However, his teammates told him it was his birthday, then picked him up. They then threw him in the trash and started beating on him.
The attack left the boy injured. A medical report detailed a sprained ankle as well as back and shoulder pain. The boy is now afraid to return to school.
Duval County Public Schools and the police are investigating the incident. The students have been issued juvenile civil citations.
What a Juvenile Civil Citation Means
A civil citation is an alternative to arrest offered to first-time or low-level juvenile offenders. Instead of being taken into custody, the teen is diverted into a program that may require:
- Community service hours.
- Counseling or anger management classes.
- Restitution or apology to the victim.
- Educational or behavioral programs.
Battery is considered a violent offense, which makes it more serious than typical civil citation cases. Depending on the facts, consequences may include:
- Referral to juvenile court if authorities deem the offense too serious for a citation alone.
- Possible probation, curfew orders, school attendance requirements, or no-contact orders with the victim.
- Mandatory anger management or behavioral therapy.
- In more serious or repeated cases, a teen may be placed in a juvenile detention or residential program.
A successfully completed civil citation can keep the child from having an adjudication of delinquency, which helps protect future education and employment opportunities. But in some cases, the child could carry a juvenile record, which may still appear in background checks unless sealed or expunged.
In any case, a citation charge like this needs to be taken seriously. It offers a second chance but should not be ignored. Completing all citation requirements is crucial to avoid juvenile court consequences and a lasting record. It is important that parents invest in an attorney and understand the future impacts to their child. Legal counsel can also be helpful because there might be children who were not involved in any way. Simply being present at the time of the offense does not make you guilty.
Contact Us Today
Even young children can be charged with battery. Children and their parents need to take these charges seriously and understand the consequences. Probation could be punishment in some cases.
A Fort Myers battery attorney from Hollander & Hanuka can help defend you and your family from serious criminal charges. We understand the implications involved. Call (239) 332-3300 or fill out the online form to schedule a consultation.
Source:
news4jax.com/news/local/2025/10/14/13-middle-school-students-face-possible-battery-charges-after-jacksonville-boy-11-injured-after-football-practice/
