14-year-old accused in kidnapping of Jamal White to remain in custody, state petitions to charge him as an adult
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It comes as the third suspect was also charged. Earlier Monday, 38-year-old Fabian Johnson was charged with a felony count of kidnapping.
Authorities say he was one of the people who ran at 7-year-old Jamal White with a gun on July 11, then dragged him, screaming, into a getaway car.
The other person they say had a gun was a 14-year-old boy who had a court appearance Monday afternoon at the Juvenile Justice Center.
In addition to ordering the boy remain in secure custody, the court also approved a petition by the state that could lead to charging him as an adult.
The 14-year-old was not shown over zoom, and he was only referred to by his initials.
The boy has been held in secure detention ever since he was arrested several days ago for his role in the armed kidnapping of Jamal White.
The judge stressed the seriousness of the allegations, saying if the boy were charged as an adult, it would equate to three felonies and a misdemeanor. Both the state and the human service worker in the case argued the boy should remain in custody, but the boy's attorney and his mother, whose identity was also protected, said he should be released.
"It is allegedly caught on tape," said Judicial Court Commissioner Katryna Childs Rhodes. "And it allegedly happened while you were possessing a weapon. All of that is incredibly dangerous. I don't feel safe releasing you out into the community at this time."
The state's petition to try the boy as an adult has not yet been approved.
His next court appearance will be July 30 at 3 p.m.