SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Victim of vandalism charged with child endangerment
Jun 17, 2013, 1:18 PM | Updated: 4:33 pm
According to Jesse Daniels, children as young as eight-years-old did over $40,000 worth of damage to his father-in-law's house. (Photo: WayneTimes.com)
(Photo: WayneTimes.com)
A man who called 911 on children vandalizing his father-in-law’s house is now being charged with child endangerment.
Jesse Daniels heard pounding in his father-in-law’s house next door Saturday at 9 p.m. The Clyde, New York house is vacant while Jesse is remodeling it.
His wife called 911 while Jesse went to investigate.
Jesse found four children between the ages of eight and ten, one with a hammer, and corralled them into a closet while he waited for authorities. He says they did over $40,000 worth of damage by breaking windows, spraying paint, and hammering holes in walls.
The boys may have vandalized the house to retaliate against Jesse’s wife, who told them to stop riding ATVs on their property earlier in the day.
The boys have been charged with burglary and criminal mischief. Their case will be handled by Wayne County Family Court.
But on Monday police returned to arrest Jesse. He’s now being charged with four counts of child endangerment after the vandals’ parents complained that he treated the children roughly and threatened them with a hammer. Jesse could face up to four years in county jail.
Paul Bowler, the father of two of the boys, told local ABC affiliate WHAM that Jesse should have been charged with more serious crimes.
“I understand they were in the wrong, but there are other ways to handle it,” said Bowler. “He (Daniels) knew who the kids were. It’s not like they were strangers. And send the kids home and call the cops then. You don’t sit there and torment them and tell them you’re going to bash their skulls in with a hammer.”
Dori thinks that the parents who called for Jesse’s arrest should be the ones facing jail time.
“This dad is the reason his son is a little criminal,” said Dori. “And he’s making his son to be a victim in this case.”
Reports say juveniles are only liable for up to $1500 of damage to property.
That means that if all four boys are found guilty, Jesse will only get $6,000 back from the vandals for the over $40,000 of damage to his property.
