NEW PORT RICHEY, Florida (AP) -- A 9-year-old girl accused of stealing a rabbit and $10 from a neighbor's home was arrested, handcuffed and questioned at a police station.

A Pasco County sheriff's deputy found the black-and-white rabbit, named Oreo, hopping around in the girl's living room, according to the arrest report. She was read her rights and taken away in the back of a patrol car.

The girl began to cry during questioning Tuesday. She admitted taking the rabbit belonging to another child, but denied taking two $5 bills and some change, according to reports.

Sheriff's spokesman Kevin Doll defended the arrest, and said if the victim of a crime wants an arrest, deputies are required to act if there is enough evidence.

Lori Ventura, the mother of the child who owns the rabbit, said the girl has been involved in other incidents and needs help.

The deputy could have taken a report and referred the charges to the state attorney, said Pasco-Pinellas Public Defender Bob Dillinger.

The girl was released to her mother from a juvenile assessment center about an hour after her arrest, which she said was scary. She also didn't like the deputy.

"He put one handcuff on me really tight," she said Thursday. In the patrol car, "He just stared at me in the mirror."

Do you think they have special small hand cuffs for kids?

wow

i didn't even know 9 year olds could be arrasted.

must have been scary

If she were my daughter I would be okay with this. Need to scare them early.

Aaron

in the immortal words of Adam Carolla:

"GERRmmmmmany or FLoooooridaaaaaaa!"

since all weird aspects of everywhere happen in either _Germany_ or _Florida_

I would have to say I would allow this for my kid to. They do need scare tactics sometimes.

If I had a kid and they stole, they would of gotten that ride to the station. A good scare like that, and I doubt many would ever think of repeating that.

Its a freakin rabbit for crying out loud.

Originally posted by Artashes
Its a freakin rabbit for crying out loud.

:emlaugh:

Definitely deserved the ride. I remember when I was younger, I was too terrified of my parents to even THINK about stealing something.

I stole a pack of batteries from a store when I was 12. The store manager gave me a mind-crashing speech that left me feeling like jello. He didn't turn me in but I cleaned the store floors for 2 consecutive weekends. :D

Originally posted by timechange.com
I stole a pack of batteries from a store when I was 12. The store manager gave me a mind-crashing speech that left me feeling like jello. He didn't turn me in but I cleaned the store floors for 2 consecutive weekends. :D

PERRFECT oppurtunity for a lawsuit! Child labor laws! lol

:rofl:

Well... it's best that little girl learn her lesson now before she grows up and is convicted of larceny on a much greater scale and have real criminal charges.

I for one am ashamed to live in a nation where this could happen. The United States is turning into Nazi Germany one little bit at a time. :rolleyes:

Although it may seem a bit drastic it is a lesson learned for the girl, she now knows there are consequences for what she does.

I remember when I was 3 years old, I would never wear my seatbelt, so my parents were at the mall with me one day and there was a cop in the area, my dad talked to him and asked him to pull us over while we were driving to give me a talk (eg. scare me into wearing my seatbelt) needless to say, it worked.

maybe it educated her of what can be the consequences of doing wrong.

Terrible....I hope she didnt steasl the $$$ also!!!

But to call the cops just over a bunny?????

The Dude :D

I hope they did it to teach her a lesson but were not trying to actually press charges on her. I wonder if the mother had something to do with that?

she stole $10 :P

Originally posted by LifelessHost
I for one am ashamed to live in a nation where this could happen.
I'm certainly NOT. It's about fair and equal treatment of all. This is the fault of the girl's parents for not explaining to her that this was wrong, obviously. Perhaps THEY should have spent a day in jail as well.
Originally posted by LifelessHost
The United States is turning into Nazi Germany

Actually, this has nothing to do with Naziism, Germany or anything of the like. Laws are laws and must be followed by any and all individuals. This includes theft, whether it's $1mil or 1 bunny. The principle is still very much the same.

Unfortunately, this is the beginning of something worse, much worse. Individuals lack the common sense to raise a child appropriately, so that they know the difference between right and wrong. if this wasn't the case, then we would have no school bombings, school shootings, teenage prostitution and more.

I for one applaud the efforts of that police department, in encouraging that this child never does this again.

Originally posted by WII-Aaron
If she were my daughter I would be okay with this. Need to scare them early.

I can see arguments for both sides. However, it's one thing to put handcuffs on them and take them to the police station, it's a WHOLE other deal when they actually processed the girl into the criminal system.

Once they do that, she'll have a police record they will follow her. Depending on where you live, the record may or may not be sealed (or expunged) when she turns 18.

The police are required to do something if a crime is committed. However, the police should have just detained the girl and not processed her. I think she could have learned her lesson without being processed.

Now, a social worker will be assigned to the girl along with a bunch of other things just because she took a rabbit from her next door neighbor's house. I seriously doubt she full understands the consequences of her actions. For all we know, she just might have wanted to play with the rabbit (of course she could have asked first).

Handcuffs might have been a little much. Did she really need to be restrainged. I am guising that they could have held back a 9 year old.

Sounded like the cops were called because the bunny was still in the girls posession inside her house. Why the parents weren't involved in getting it back is a whole other story. Processing her would be a harsh bit, but the ride in the car without parents there would leave a lasting impression.

wonder what that 911 call sounded like...

"Operator..."

"Hi, yes I am calling to report a stolen bunny."

"This better not be some Easter prank."

"No, a nine year old girl came and stole my bunny!"

I agree, I don't think she would ever think about doing it again :D

I agree that she should've been detained, or had a talking to in a questioning-room, but I don't think she should've been processed into the legal system. That sticks with you for your life. When she is out looking for a job when she is 16, 17, 18, or when ever, and they do a backround check, what are they going to think?
If I were an employer, and she applied, I would laugh my butt off when the report came back saying
"Theft of rabbit and $10."
None-the-less, a good talking to would've done just fine.

Originally posted by epgs
Handcuffs might have been a little much. Did she really need to be restrainged. I am guising that they could have held back a 9 year old.

I think handcuffs are required when an arrest is made, just like they HAVE to read you your rights.. Otherwise you will get someone down the road that will play the "Its beacuse I'm ..... isn't it!" card..

If I was the parents, I would have payed for the bunny. Took the girl home and gave her a whooping with the bunny and then give it to her so she can have it then while shes crying Ill say " Was it worth it?" the perfect solution :)

Originally posted by JWise
If I was the parents, I would have payed for the bunny. Took the girl home and gave her a whooping with the bunny and then give it to her so she can have it then while shes crying Ill say " Was it worth it?" the perfect solution :)

I believe that falls under cruelty to animals and then you would be arrested. =)

Strange laws y'all have over there. I wonder if the police would have done the same if she had nicked the other girl's favourite Barbie doll?

Originally posted by anon-e-mouse
Strange laws y'all have over there. I wonder if the police would have done the same if she had nicked the other girl's favourite Barbie doll?

Naw this wouldn't happen if the little girl had nicked a barbie doll......I would assume a Rabbit's life(something that breaths and feel pain) is more important than a barbie doll's so called "life." The barbie doll doesnt feel pain or breaths so the little girl wouldn't have been arrested for stealing the barbie doll.

oh.. It was a real rabbit? lol.. I was under the impression it was a stuffed bunny haha.. Guess I should read more huh

a rabbit today, a bank the next.

Hand cuffing a child is abusive in nature and is out of the question and far beyond reason. There had to be other options that could have been just as effective.

i cant believe that, 9 year old arrested! :(