A 13-year-old in Calvert County was released on probation with electronic monitoring after being implicated in the sexual assault of two six-year-old girls.
Prosecutors had recommended placement in a secure out-of-home facility for treatment and counseling, but the sentencing judge accepted a recommendation from the Department of Juvenile Services to return the youth to his home.
The Department of Juvenile Services, headed by Secretary Betsy Fox Tolentino, provides guidance to judges on juvenile dispositions, and its recommendation was applied in this case.
The victims no longer reside in the home, though they remain in the same county.
State Attorney Robert Harvey criticized the outcome, describing systemic failures in the juvenile system and questioning how the decision enhances community safety.
Harvey also expressed concern about whether the Department will promptly inform the court and the attorney’s office of any probation violations.
The teen will be subject to electronic monitoring while on probation, but details on enforcement and oversight remain uncertain.
