Snohomish student who stabbed classmates pleads guilty
Mar 7, 2012, 12:56 PM | Updated: 5:40 pm
The Snohomish High School student who stabbed two classmates in a school bathroom pleaded guilty Wednesday.
As part of a plea deal, she avoided attempted murder charges in exchange for guilty pleas to first-degree assault and second-degree assault in the October 24, 2011 attack that left one student critically injured.
The 15-year-old will be remanded to a juvenile detention center until her 21st birthday. Upon release from the facility, she will be transferred to the Department of Corrections to serve a 100-month sentence.
The mother of April Lutz, the girl most severely injured in the attack, spoke during sentencing about how her daughter is coping with the ordeal.
“She’s gone from an outgoing, happy-go-lucky girl to one that cries out in her sleep and only feels safe when surrounded by those who love her,” said Sue Lutz. ‘The girl who attacked my child is obviously a sick, troubled individual.”
Last week, The Daily Herald reported the teen created a “bucket list” while in custody that includes harming a toddler and blowing up a school.
A fellow inmate in juvenile detention told the staff in mid-February that the defendant talked of finding one of the wounded students and stabbing her again to make sure she dies.
Prosecutors said Wednesday that the plea deal was the best way to ensure the public is safe while getting the young woman the “help she needs.”
Statement from Randy and Sue Lutz:
“Today is a very difficult day for us. We have so many intense emotions about this situation and how deeply it has affected our daughter and our family. With that said, we feel that this agreement is a fair compromise. It allows this very troubled young girl to get the help she has clearly needed for some time while she is still a juvenile, but it also holds her accountable for her horrific actions.
“Our focus now is solely on April and making sure she fully recovers physically and emotionally from everything that happened. We would also like to extend our thanks to the communities of Monroe and Snohomish for their continued support, which has been nothing short of remarkable. We are looking forward to putting all of this behind us for good and moving on with our lives.”
Statement from Mark and Christa Staudacher:
“This is a tough situation for any parent to go through, knowing how bad it was and how much worse it could have been. We are relieved to have some closure and to see the justice system act firmly and fairly under the circumstances. We are most thankful for our daughter’s well-being and that she and April are both still around to help one another return to their normal lives as much as possible. We would also like to thank the community for showing their steadfast support for our daughter and our family during this difficult time.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
