Foster Mom Tells Cops to Put Teen Back into the System After Theft Arrest

A 15-year-old River Hills girl who has had previous run-ins with the law was nabbed for shoplifting at last week — and the arrest was apparently the last straw for the girl’s foster mother, who said it was time to put the youth  back into the system.

According to the police report:

The incident took place around 3:15 p.m. Oct. 26, when police were called to the store at 755 N. Port Washington Rd. A security officer told police that a girl had taken a cell phone, still in the packaging, into the bathroom and was still inside. A female employee went into the bathroom and reported she could hear the packaging being opened. After the girl left the bathroom, the employee retrieved the empty packaging the girl had removed.

Police stopped the teen at the front door and found a $79.99 Nokia phone in her backpack.

The girl gave a false name and date of birth to police, along with a false name for her foster mother, but a correct phone number. When officers called the foster mom, she said the girl was lying and provided the real name of the child.

She was cited for retail theft, damage to property and obstructing police.

After speaking with the girl's mother, officers learned that the girl was on juvenile probation. Milwaukee County Children’s Court Center said they would take the girl if brought out on state charges, or she could be released to her foster mother.

Officers released the girl to her mother. However, only minutes later, the mother came back to the police station asking for help. She and her daughter had gotten into a fight and the teen had refused to get into the car.

The foster mother told officers that it was time the girl be placed back into the foster care system, so the youth was turned over to juvenile authorities.