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Mom of boys charged in crime spree faces charges, too
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The mother of a pair of Sheraden boys who police believe were behind a series of robberies, break-ins and other crimes faces child endangerment charges due to poor living conditions in her home, police said today.
Rebecca Hutchinson, 33, was awaiting arraignment this afternoon on five counts of the offense. Police said she is the mother of 12- and 15-year-old boys who, along with at least three other youths, are responsible for a spike in crime -- at least 40 offenses -- since May in Sheraden. They remain at Shuman Juvenile Detention Center. Allegheny County's department of Children Youth and Families took custody of Ms. Hutchinson's sons, ages 9 and 6, and her 8-year-old daughter, police said.
She was present when her older children were interviewed by police and allowed them to search her home, where detectives said they found stolen goods.
The 15-year-old boy has been charged with crimes including four counts of arson, two counts of robbery, simple assault, conspiracy, burglary, risking a catastrophe, reckless endangerment and seven counts of felony criminal mischief, for incidents at a church, police said.
His 12-year-old brother faces the same offenses. An 11-year-old who police believe was a co-conspirator faces two counts of robbery, simple assault and conspiracy. And the youngest of the group, a 9-year-old from Sheraden, is too young to be charged but was likely responsible for broken church windows, police said.
In an e-mail to community members, Cmdr. Scott Schubert of the Zone 6 police station praised the work of his plainclothes detectives in solving the case.
"It is hopeful that the quality of life in Sheraden will improve with the identification and arrests of juveniles who have plagued the community with a recent crime wave," he wrote.
First Published June 29, 2012 4:52 pm
