Harry Tuttle
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Angry parent blocks gun-toting teen's return to school
By ERIC HARTLEY Staff Writer
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2004/03_17-23/TOP
The mother of two teenagers on a supposed "hit list" at Southern High School yesterday said she has won a state order barring the return of a girl charged with taking a gun to the school last week.
Teresa Trail of Franklin Manor said she got the temporary protective order from the state Department of Juvenile Services. It orders the girl to stay away from the school, Ms. Trail's home and her children's workplaces for 90 days.
She said county police shouldn't have released the 15-year-old Rose Haven girl after charging her with four weapons violations on March 10.
"She was a lot more protected than our kids were, and it's not right," said Ms. Trail, whose children are 16 and 18. "If this child got a gun one time, she can get it again."
Ms. Trail said her two teenagers were among seven people on a "hit list" the girl showed to friends at school.
She said she obtained the temporary order yesterday after a Juvenile Services hearing in Annapolis. A spokesman said this morning she could not confirm whether an order had been issued, citing confidentiality rules.
Police said the girl, who hasn't been identified, denied making such a list and officers never found one.
Lt. Joseph Jordan, police spokesman, said the girl was released after being issued juvenile citations. He said she was cooperative, all the charges were misdemeanors and officers confiscated the weapon.
County school officials said the girl is not in school, but wouldn't discuss whether she had been suspended or expelled.
They defended the response of the school's acting principal, Carol Thornburg, who held a special session with students and met with a group of parents last week to discuss concerns.
"They had a special advisory period and spoke to their students about issues of school violence and how the students could be a part of the solution," said spokesman Jonathan Brice. "If they're having a problem, if they're having a concern with another classmate, there are peaceful means of resolving the situation."
Police were called to the school about 3 p.m. March 9 by an assistant principal who said a parent had reported a child taking a gun to school. Ms. Trail said she was the parent.
Students told police they had seen a gun wrapped in a white dish towel inside the girl's purse. One student told police she saw three loose rounds of ammunition in the purse.
Police said the girl initially denied doing anything wrong when an officer talked to her that night. But the girl's father gave police a .22-caliber handgun that matched the description of the one seen in school.
After the girl's parents took her to the Southern District station on the evening of March 10, she changed her story and admitted taking the gun to school, police said.
The girl was charged as a minor with concealing a deadly weapon, carrying a deadly weapon on school property, having a handgun on her person and possession of a firearm.
One student told police the girl said she took the gun to school because a classmate "wouldn't get off her back and she wanted to scare her a little."
Ms. Trail said she kept her children home one day and is worried for their safety.
"Now our kids can't hang out in our neighborhood," she said.
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By ERIC HARTLEY Staff Writer
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2004/03_17-23/TOP
The mother of two teenagers on a supposed "hit list" at Southern High School yesterday said she has won a state order barring the return of a girl charged with taking a gun to the school last week.
Teresa Trail of Franklin Manor said she got the temporary protective order from the state Department of Juvenile Services. It orders the girl to stay away from the school, Ms. Trail's home and her children's workplaces for 90 days.
She said county police shouldn't have released the 15-year-old Rose Haven girl after charging her with four weapons violations on March 10.
"She was a lot more protected than our kids were, and it's not right," said Ms. Trail, whose children are 16 and 18. "If this child got a gun one time, she can get it again."
Ms. Trail said her two teenagers were among seven people on a "hit list" the girl showed to friends at school.
She said she obtained the temporary order yesterday after a Juvenile Services hearing in Annapolis. A spokesman said this morning she could not confirm whether an order had been issued, citing confidentiality rules.
Police said the girl, who hasn't been identified, denied making such a list and officers never found one.
Lt. Joseph Jordan, police spokesman, said the girl was released after being issued juvenile citations. He said she was cooperative, all the charges were misdemeanors and officers confiscated the weapon.
County school officials said the girl is not in school, but wouldn't discuss whether she had been suspended or expelled.
They defended the response of the school's acting principal, Carol Thornburg, who held a special session with students and met with a group of parents last week to discuss concerns.
"They had a special advisory period and spoke to their students about issues of school violence and how the students could be a part of the solution," said spokesman Jonathan Brice. "If they're having a problem, if they're having a concern with another classmate, there are peaceful means of resolving the situation."
Police were called to the school about 3 p.m. March 9 by an assistant principal who said a parent had reported a child taking a gun to school. Ms. Trail said she was the parent.
Students told police they had seen a gun wrapped in a white dish towel inside the girl's purse. One student told police she saw three loose rounds of ammunition in the purse.
Police said the girl initially denied doing anything wrong when an officer talked to her that night. But the girl's father gave police a .22-caliber handgun that matched the description of the one seen in school.
After the girl's parents took her to the Southern District station on the evening of March 10, she changed her story and admitted taking the gun to school, police said.
The girl was charged as a minor with concealing a deadly weapon, carrying a deadly weapon on school property, having a handgun on her person and possession of a firearm.
One student told police the girl said she took the gun to school because a classmate "wouldn't get off her back and she wanted to scare her a little."
Ms. Trail said she kept her children home one day and is worried for their safety.
"Now our kids can't hang out in our neighborhood," she said.
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