As reported by the St.Mary's County Sheriff's Office of St.Mary's County, Maryland, 17 year old Lauren Bush and her accomplice allegedly tortured and assaulted a disabled 15 year old boy "several times" between the months of December, 2013 and February, 2014.
Other allegations include videos taken that show the boy being forced to walk across a frozen pont, which caused him to fall through several times, and their refusal to help him out.
Also alleged are coersion to commit sex acts with animals, dragging him by the hair, kicking him in the groin, and assaulting him with a knife.
The historical failure of the criminal justic system to adequately respond to abuse and exploitation of developmentally disables along with their failure to charge hate crimes where appropriate has led to chronic under-reporting of cases like the one in which Lauren Bush has been charged. This under-reporting is both because disabled people do not believe that their victimization will be treated seriously by law enforcement and because police forces do not investigate these crimes as hate based and record them as such when called for.
While numerous disability and criminology studies show a high crime rate against disabled people, the U.S. Office of Crime Statistics has previously reported that disabled people rarely participate in the criminal justice process even when they have been brutally victimized. Such is the case of Lauren Bush and her accomplice.
Lets not allow prosecutors and law enforcement to take the easy-out in the torture and abuse of a challenged young man who has been traumatized for life.
Please sign this petition which demands that the Attorney General of the state of Maryland, Douglas F Gansler, and the District Attorney of St.Mary's County, Maryland charge Lauren Bush and her accomplice with a hate crime under the Mathew Shepard Act of 1969.
The Sheriff of St.Mary's county, has already stated that they "can't figure out why" Lauren Bush and her accomplice committed this heinous crime, they are denying the obvious that the crime was committed as hate against a disabled person. We must not let law enforcement off the hook!
link to news article:
http://www.fox17.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/teens-charged-torturing-disabled-boy-20249.shtml
Update #210 years ago
According to the Disabled Persons Protection Commission (www.mass.gov/dppc) more than 90% of men and women with developmental disablilities will experience sexual abuse at some time in their lives!! You've signed the petition - now help us reach our goal by sharing or emailing our petition to all your friends and contacts and asking them to add their signature to this important cause.
Update #110 years ago
a source in St Mary's states boy's alleged tormentor was released with no bail and could be offered a plea bargain that will get her out of jail in less than 1 year. Please get other people to sign and follow our campaign on the FB page called "End Hate Crime: Charges for Autistic Torture Victim "Tommy Doe"".
The minimization of this crime sends message to the nation that its open season on every special needs child!
