9-Year-Old Girl Charged With Battery For Allegedly Punching Sister

9-Year-Old Girl Charged With Battery For Allegedly Punching Sister

Apparently a “time out” isn’t cutting it anymore.

A 9-year-old girl in Indianapolis was arrested and charged with battery last weekend after her mother called police and reported she had punched her 6-year-old sister in the head, Fox 59 reports.

Andrea Stumpf, the girls' mother, filmed the incident and showed the responding officer, according to WTHR. That officer then “made the decision to arrest,” Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Officer Rafael Diaz told Fox 59.

Rick Whitten, executive director of Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis, spoke with the station about the significance of keeping children out of the criminal justice system if possible.

“We know that the younger kids get involved in the juvenile justice system, the more likely they are to keep getting involved with the system,” he said.

Earlier this year, a father in Wisconsin incited criticism and mockery after he filed for a restraining order against a 5-year-old boy he said was bullying his daughter.

In Canada, however, officials took a more moderate approach to child discipline in September after a pajama-clad 9-year-old boy stole a city bus and took it on a three block joyride. Because of his young age, they opted not to charge him.

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