Rantz: Teen murderer at Green Hill feels ‘betrayed’ that he’s going to adult jail where he belongs

A teenage murderer said he feels “betrayed” because he may have to go to adult prison thanks to overcrowding at Green Hill School, a juvenile detention facility in Chehalis. But it’s precisely where he belongs.

The Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) announced earlier this month that it was suspending all juvenile intakes. The department said the high population of teen criminals at Green Hill and Echo Glen, a juvenile facility in Snoqualmie, is untenable.

To address the overpopulation, DCYF moved 43 teen inmates to Department of Corrections (DOC) facilities. All are over the age of 18 and would have eventually been transferred to these facilities when they turned 25.

Caya Lenay was one of the 43 transferees who was placed in an adult prison where he belongs. But he’s upset and Fox 13 Seattle is eager to advocate on his behalf.

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Why is a teen murderer upset about going to adult prison?

Lenay pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2018 when he was 16 years old, following a home-invasion robbery that left Julie Knechtel, an Everett mother, shot to death. He’s serving a 134-month sentence. Nevertheless, he found an advocate in Fox 13 Seattle.

“Why should this fall on our shoulders because of solutions that they can’t figure out? Like, why should our rehabilitation, our safety and security, programming and all of that stuff be removed and overlooked, just based off a mistake they neglected?” Lenay asked in a phone call with anchor Matthew Smith. “They neglected to find a solution to the overcrowding.”

Smith’s feature story is overtly sympathetic to the so-called plight of the murderer and other juveniles who committed serious crimes. Not getting the same sympathy are the victims of the inmates. The Fox 13 Seattle report doesn’t even mention Lenay’s crime. Instead, we’re told of Lenay’s “frustration,” which, per Fox 13 Seattle, “has been echoed in numerous conversations between family members of the young adults moved.”

“I felt like I was just grabbed and handcuffed aggressively by DOC staff and escorted out of the building,” Lenay complained.

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Juvenile crime surged and overpopulation crisis at Green Hill and Echo Glen comes courtesy of Democrats

The juvenile detention centers’ overpopulation crisis was a long time coming. Juvenile crimes in Washington have soared thanks to soft-on-crime policies and legislation favored by Democrats. Governor Jay Inslee has consistently ignored or downplayed problems associated with juvenile detention facilities as part of a far-left ideology that aims to keep even violent juveniles out of jail.

One law that burdened juvenile detention facilities like Green Hill and Echo Glen was passed five years ago. Democrats allowed juvenile criminals to remain in juvenile facilities until they turn 25-years-old. This is, of course, dangerous given an unreformed 24-year-old could thwart the progress of a 16-year-old who can be saved.

One reason behind Democrats going easy on juvenile criminals is they note a human brain isn’t fully developed until the mid-20s. That may be true, but it’s hard to believe that a teenage murderer isn’t mature enough to understand the severity of taking someone’s life. It’s worth noting that the very same people who claim a teen is not mature enough to understand the severity of crime are the same ones explaining a 13-year-old can change genders and seek life-altering “gender-affirming care” without parental consent.

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Oh, that poor murderer

Fox 13 Seattle and Smith go to great lengths to advocate on Lenay’s behalf. They point out that he was “being celebrated” by DCYF just a month ago because earned a degree while serving time.

“What is all the work you put in for? It was for nothing,” Lenay notes. “And then like DCYF was supposed to keep us there and house us and rehabilitate us and show them that juveniles going to prison doesn’t rehabilitate them.”

It’s certainly noteworthy that Lenay appears to be trying to get his life in order. He seems legitimate and rehabilitation, whether it’s in juvenile detention or DOC facilities, is paramount. He’s going to be released from jail via an earned release on 12/25/2027, according to DOC. Society will be better off if he’s truly reformed.

And Lenay’s complaint is valid. According to one judge, the move was a violation of an agreement DCYF made after being caught moving inmates to DOC facilities before they turned 25 years old.

But Lenay should consider himself lucky that he has Democrats on his side. He should have been in adult prison before this move by DCYF. He’s no longer a teen. And to overlook his serious crimes for advocacy journalism does a disservice to the audience and the family of Lenay’s victim.

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