In Re Devore

WORKS, J.

Harold DeYore, a minor of the age of fourteen years, was by the juvenile court committed to the Whittier State School until he reaches the age of twenty-one. The parents of the minor appeal from the order of commitment.

The minor met a boy of Ms acquaintance, the latter being in possession of an automobile which he had stolen. The

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two together then stole a second ear and drove the vehicles to a spot where they proceeded to “strip” both of some of their accessories. They placed in one of the automobiles the property thus removed from both and were about to drive away with it when they were apprehended by the police and placed under arrest. Young DeVore was released on bail and his hearing before the juvenile court was set for a certain date. On the evening before that day he stole another automobile. The hearing was had upon the day set and the minor was adjudged a ward of the juvenile court and was ordered to Juvenile Hall for a period of two weeks, then to be returned to the court for further hearing. At the time of the making of this order the judge of the juvenile court was not aware of the theft of the automobile which DeVore stole after he was admitted to bail upon the original charge, as the circumstance had not then come to light. While at Juvenile Hall, under the order for his detention there, DeVore effected his escape from the institution, but he was immediately reapprehended upon information as to his whereabouts given by his father. When he testified upon the hearing at which he was declared a ward of the court, the minor denied the theft of the car which he had stolen in company with the other boy and told an improbable story as to his presence at the place of arrest when he was apprehended for the theft. He had told this story to his parents immediately after the arrest and he persisted in it throughout the hearing. He later admitted that the story was false and confessed that he had participated in the theft of the car. According to the reporter’s transcript the following occurred toward the close of the hearing at which the minor was declared a ward of the juvenile court: “The Court: ... I am going to have you go down to Juvenile Hall and remain there for a couple of weeks. It is going to depend on your conduct there as to what will be the future disposition of your case. You have a chance now here to let this be a lesson to you. If you were a little bit older, probably you would go to the penitentiary for this. They are going there every day. I am just wondering whether or not you sense the seriousness of it. If you do, there is hope this may be a lesson to you. If you don’t, why this will be a mere incident in your career, and the next time it may be something serious. The Boy: It will be a lesson.