Elizabeth Olten Case: 15-Year-Old Girl Kills 9-Year-Old Girl, Police Suspect
Judge to Decide Whether or Not to Try as Adult 15-Year-Old Suspected of Killing a 9-Year-Old
Very few details are known about the discovery and recovery of the body of Elizabeth Olten. However, Cole County Sheriff Greg White revealed: "We were able to obtain some physical evidence and through some analysis of some of the evidence and in all honesty some written evidence, we were able to develop a person of interest. Once we reached that person and interviewed them, ultimately, they led us to where we've recovered Elizabeth's body."
White said the body had been very well hid in the woods in an area that had previously been searched.
Elizabeth Olten disappeared on October 21 about 6:15 p.m. while walking home from a friend's house. She never made it home and by 7 p.m., because 9-year-old Elizabeth was afraid of the dark and the woods by which she walked home, the Olten family called the police. Searches had revealed nothing. It wasn't until the suspect was interviewed that police were able to recover the body of the missing child.
According to ABC News, the suspect's attorney, Kurt Valentine, said, "It will be the judge's obligation to look at the individual and look at her, excuse me, look at the juvenile's circumstances."
Valentine also said, "I would ask that they wait, that they listen to the facts as they come out and not judge quickly. Learn about this person, learn about this child. You're dealing with a child."
The 15-year-old who killed or caused the death of 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten, according to her lawyer, has extenuating "circumstances." Barring the 15-year-old being mentally challenged to the point of not knowing right from wrong, however, it would be difficult to see what kind of "circumstances" could exist that would not have the judge render the decision to have the girl tried as an adult. That the 15-year-old suspect had the wherewithal to secrete the body in the woods implies mental presence of knowledge of right and wrong, which means that Valentine might be looking toward a non-nurturing environment as a defense for his client.
And his reference to the girl as a "child" is manipulative, not factual. Fifteen years places a person developmentally in the stages of adolescence and young adulthood. The judge will no doubt order a psychiatric evaluation to determine the suspect's soundness of mind, temperament, and mental capacity.
But where to draw the line? Not knowing the circumstances of Elizabeth Olten's death or the manner in which she died, it is difficult to determine how the judge might proceed. And the decisions that the judge will make cannot be simple, either. A girl's future hangs in the balance. Questions need to be answered. How was the crime committed? What were the circumstances? How should matters proceed for an adjudication to be effectively rendered? How does one protect the rights of the individual? Does society need to be protected from the suspect?
In short, how does one find justice for the death of a 9-year-old girl?
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Sources:
ABCNews.go.com
KMIZ.com
Published by Saul Relative
WVU graduate, with degrees in History, English, Secondary Education, Computer Programming, and Psychology (and nearly a degree in Political Science). Originally from West Virginia, with stints in Virginia,... View profile
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104 Comments
Post a Commenti cant belive a girl killed a nother girl and she was 9 years old
I go to her old school she had many friends. I feel terrible for her. I never met Elizabeth but all my friends were crying over her anniversary.
Why do we always point to insanity when it comes to inconceivable crimes like this? She was well in her right mind to kill Elizabeth then go out of her way to hide her body. She's not delusioned or insane. Bad decisions lead to bad consequences. She should be locked away for life. eye for an eye.
I think that the 15 yr old shouldnt be in jail for life just because of one dumbass mistake now dont get me wrong i feel bad for the 9 yr old and her family but i have to agree with the people who say she shouldnt be in jail...i think she just lost her way and needs to find it...in some sort of mental hospital or something maybe go to a pshycologist 2 help her out.
Samantha - let me get this straight - you are against the death penalty - but wish it upon a FIFTEEN YEAR OLD CHILD? That's flippin' twisted & retarded BITCH! If that is the case - I think you should be executed for thinking such a thing -
Alyssa is such a cute sweet and lovable girl!
Why in the hell would you want to put her in prison? Give her a year or two in a place where she can get help.
Alyssa is a confused child she didn't know what she was doing when she killed, she's a child and needs our help and is counting on us to support her!
my friends kids rode the bus with both of them!
" A girl's future hangs in the balance????" How about the future of that little 9 yr old girl who will never know what it felt like to graduate from college, be pregnant and hold her own child in her arms, or even fall in love and get married....how sad is that? I can't even imagine what this childs mother feels like right now. That girl is not insane! She knew exactly what she was doing. She may be troubled but definetely not insane and I definetely think she needs to be tried as an adult as for she committed a crime like an adult!
i think yall shouldve tried her as an adult it doesnt matter how old u are if u committed murder u should get wat u deserve because da young black teenage boy dat robbed and killed dat elderly white lady yall didnt show sympathy for him dis is just a racist issue just take a look at wen black americans committ dat kind of crime dey alwayz get life or worse now da whites if dey committ a crime like dat dey only get like 10 to 20 years and dnt get me wrng im not racist dat subject just bothers me
I think she just needs mental help. I dont think she should get life!!!! Of course I feel bad for the 9year olds family, but it was all because of a mental disdease. She should not be in prison for life.