Originally Posted by sbhikes
I think the punishment is right for the age of the kid. It will probably scare him to death. They won't be so lenient if there's ever a next time. Remember, he's only 15. How many stupid things did you get away with when you were 15? He didn't get away with it and he's going to jail. That's more than a LOT of adults get for killing cyclists.
Are you kidding me???? Next time!?!?! At 15 I was applying to college. At 15 I didn't get away with anything because I had a conscience and my parents would have punished me. I didn't curse. I didn't do anything wrong. I sure as heck didn't steal a car, run over a 7 year old, and leave him to die in the street, and then try to cover it up. 20 days in juvie hall is not jail and is getting away with a slap on the wrist.
You also mention adults killing cyclists. But you fail to mention that this kid commited a crime by driving without a license, commited a hit and run(another crime) and then tried to cover it up(yet another crime). Those adults you speak of that get no jail time for killing a cyclist have licenses, do not run, and are not at fault or were in attentive for 1 second at worst. There is a big difference.
This judge who said this 15 yo is not a bad kid is wrong. This kid made a decision when he hit that boy. He decided that his own life and convenience and not being caught and not getting in trouble was more important than that 7 year old's life. If that isn't evil and bad, I don't know what is. And don't give me, he must have panicked bit. There was a conscious decision however fast, and he decided to save his own skin over that of this little boy. Its evil pure and simple.