Teen pleads guilty in fire that damaged school

I am curios to see what happens to this young man and his friends. Yes, it was an accident. Yes, they did leave without reporting it, which ended up causing a great deal more damange. What would be fair and reasonable in a case like this?

It will be interesting to see what will happen to this young man and the others involved.

I do not think they intended to start the fire but my problem is that they knew they had and tore down a camera and left the premises without reporting the fire. What if someone were to be trapped in the building?

I think these young men should have to pay for this but I don't think going to jail is the answer. They should have to pay for damages and possibly do communtiy service such as volunteer for a fire department or in the burn unit of a hospital so they can see up close and personal what a fire can do. The punishment should fit the crime.

Shirley,
I agree that the punishment should fit the crime. I know of a couple of boys (juveniles)who intentionally burned a house down right here in Jefferson County and all that happened to them was that they had to pay $125 in restitution and one spent some time in the juvenile detention center, not long, mind you. When they let him out at his court date he went skipping by the homeowner singing that he was free. It just doesn't seem right.

I agree Doris. If all they are going to do is smack their hands and send them home the only lesson the kids learn is we can do it and get by with it.

I am one of the three young men who started the fire at fox elementary. I would just like to fill in the missing pieces to my story and to help you better understand that night. Me and my friend went to a movie that night and after the movie was over being teenagers just coming out of our junior year and going to be seniors we wanted to keep the night going. My friend called his friend to see if he had anything in mind. He told my friend that he had just bought some fireworks and that his Dad owned a house in jefferson county were shooting fireworks off was legal. We picked up my friends, friend, (a boy who i had never met before), and drove to jefferson county were i thought we would be shooting fireworks off at this kids house. When we arrived at the house he told us that we would be shooting the fireworks off at the school playground at the time i saw nothing wrong with it as long as we didnt leave a mess. While my friend and his friend were shooting fireworks off i was watching most of the time and the only thing i can remember shooting was a roman candle in the opposite direction of the school. I am not saying i didnt shoot any because i did and i am just as guilty as the other boys involved. My friends, friend while shooting fireworks off was jumping at the camera me and my friend both told him to leave it alone that it would just start trouble cause it was probably on and watching him. He didnt listen and tore the camera down. After all the fireworks had been shot we picked up the trash and stuffed it in a trash can one of the pieces that we put in still had a few embers we thought they would be ok obviously we were wrong. We left the school and no smoke that we could see was visible and I took both my friend and his home and i went home myself. I did not find out the school had caught fire until two days after it happened and even when i knew i was too scared to say anything to the police because they all thought the wrong thing about what happened being that the camera was ripped down no one could see how the fire started. I was also scared because I was in school to be a fireman and knew right away that this would damage my career very badly, and also trying to sign for the marine corps so both my dreams were gone for awhile. I am not trying to get sympathy from this i am just wanting everyone to know the truth.I know what I did was wrong and believe in no way am I getting a smack on the hand my dream of becoming a fireman is harder to reach and becoming a United States Marine is too two dreams that i worked so hard for and in no way would i ever think i would get away with nothing from this what i did was wrong and i know it. I feel horrible to this day about the accident and know that if i could change the events of that night i would.

Dear Adam,
I think it is very commendable for you to stand up and take responsibility for your actions. I hope that you will continue to do the right thing.

I have to ask, why didn't you leave when you realized that your friend had ripped down the camera or why didn't you go report it to someone?

ArnoldCC wrote:

I have to ask, why didn't you leave when you realized that your friend had ripped down the camera or why didn't you go report it to someone?

Here you go ArnoldCC. Like I have said Wait until that little darling of yours grows up. How about telling the kid thanks for coming forward and telling his story.

Adam,

We have all made mistakes and I assure you yours won't be the last. Keep your head in the right path and you will over come this small set back. None of us are perfect.( except ArnoldCC and her Son) Thanks again for telling your side.

CC,

I think you have asked a fair question. However, it also takes a good deal of Character of this you man to stand up and answer for what he has done. I am sure the Judge will ask the needed questions and hopefully will decide on an appropriate outcome. If the goal of the young man is military service, maybe the judge can help work that out.

sbt...whatever, it was a legitimate question. If you know the people you are with are causing trouble, why stay around and be associated with that? It is common sense to most of us.

Adam,

I do commend your courage in coming forth with your story and applaud you. I hope that you have a long military career and would thank you for considering putting your life on the line to defend our freedom. I just had to ask the question.

Vinny, I would agree with you, the judge will ask the needed questions and determine the appropriate punishment. I know that we (and yes, including me, sbt) have made mistakes in the past...not as big as this, but mistakes none the less. I would hope that the judge would help this young man work out his military service so he can fulfill his dream.

Thank you all for understanding this or at least what i have told you. I would greatly appreciate any prayers regarding this mistake i have done and in my military career and in no way is my wanting to join the military going to play a part in getting me a lighter sentence even if it could i would not take it. I thank you all for the words of encouragment and to asnwer some questions that caught my eye. Arnold cc the kid who ripped down the camera was not my friend and in no way associated with me before that night. If i knew that i could have fixed the camera in anyway i would have and yes i do have sense enough to not hang around with people who cause trouble. Thank you CC for your words of encouragment and i would gladly give my life for the freedom of America.I hope one day maybe i can do something that will make this mistake in my life not what i am remembered for, but for doing something great. I am deeply sorry to any parents also who were put at an inconveinance due to my actions and to the kids who went to the school.

Adam
Thanks for telling your side of the story.
Hopefully after all is said and done you will still be able to join the Marines and later live your dream of becoming a firefighter.
I would not like to see any of you go to jail. I think the punishment should fit the crime and I am certain that you or the others did not mean for the school to catch on fire. I do believe there should be some punishment but once again the punishment should fit the crime. Community service would be a form of punishment I could support.

Shirlav,
I am still able to join the marines I just have to wait until whatever is going to happen with the sentencing happens. Probation being one of the things that I am facing must be served and over for 90 days before I am allowed to leave for boot camp so Marines is something that is going to happen just not as soon as I had hoped. I am also able to volunteer for fire departments being that I am certified in Firefighting 1 and 2 and I just received my EMT Basic license. I am glad to hear that you would not like to see me go to jail unfortunantly the state of missouri does not share that idea with you. Community service is also something I am going to have to do so for anyone that is upset about this don't worry I am getting a fair share of punishment. I will not be responding to anymore comments after this one I just needed to tell my side of the story and hopefully shed some light on this event.