Starting young...

**imported_elp6n** · November 19th, 2007, 12:40 PM

Atlanta police charge boys, 8 and 9, with rape
Officials say 11-year-girl kidnapped, raped in woods

updated 1 hour, 48 minutes ago
ACWORTH, Ga. - Three boys ages 8 and 9 were being held Monday in a detention center on charges of kidnapping and raping an 11-year-old girl in the woods near a suburban apartment complex, officials said.

The alleged attack happened Thursday and the girl's mother reported it to authorities Sunday, Acworth police Capt. Wayne Dennard said.

"The juvenile victim stated that an 8-year-old boy and two 9-year-old boys that she had been playing with earlier pulled her into a wooded area, where one of the boys raped her," Dennard said.

The three boys were charged with rape, kidnapping, false imprisonment and sexual assault, Dennard told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Their names were being withheld because of their age.

Prosecutors have not decided whether to try the suspects as adults.

"That decision hasn't been made," said Kathy Watkins, a spokeswoman for the Cobb County District Attorney's office. She had no further comment.

Calls to the Acworth Police Department were not returned Monday morning.

Acworth is 30 miles northwest of Atlanta in the city's fast-growing outer suburbs.

**the_alienist** · November 19th, 2007, 12:49 PM

I wonder if this was gang related??

**imported_elp6n** · November 19th, 2007, 12:51 PM

or "wanna-be" gang related perhaps, considering the age. Copycat activity.

**the_alienist** · November 19th, 2007, 12:57 PM

Some gangs tend to have younger members as they are more often overlooked by authorities. The youngest one that I have ever heard of was a 7 y.o. out in CA

**imported_elp6n** · November 19th, 2007, 01:02 PM

What a lovely snapshot of the future of our country.

**imported_Coach** · November 19th, 2007, 01:40 PM

sad thing is, it's just going to get worse and worse until we stop pampering everybody. these 3 kids will probably serve no time or any penalty except probabation because they are both ADHD and have a "learning disability". They both come from a broken home where mom had 3 jobs and can't spend much time at home. the public school system has failed the 3 kids and not taught them lessons to prevent this type of activity.