Overview
- U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Friday her office will charge parents under D.C. Code 22-811 for failing to stop their children from joining social-media-fueled “teen takeovers” or breaking curfew.
- Parents found guilty could face fines, court-ordered classes, and up to six months in jail, and cases can go forward even if the child is not prosecuted.
- Pirro said her office cannot charge minors for curfew violations, which local authorities handle, but the local contributing-to-delinquency law lets prosecutors pursue adults.
- The announcement follows weeks of large gatherings in Navy Yard and U Street that police say have brought vandalism, property damage, and at times violence.
- The D.C. Council approved a permanent youth curfew on May 5 that has not taken effect yet, and Pirro framed her push as part of a broader Justice Department crime crackdown in the city.