It's stories like this that make me afraid to be a parent..

[ramanth]

http://www.cincypost.com/2004/01/10/burn011004.html

I can't imagine doing ANYTHING like that. My parents would kill me. Absolutely sickening...



Teen burned home to hide parties

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Kimball Perry
Post staff reporter

John Layne started Christmas early last year, flying to San Diego with his wife Dec. 5 to visit his father.
Layne, 40, instructed his 16-year-old son, a sophomore at Oak Hills High, to behave and not have any parties.

That sensible parental advice fell on deaf ears, though, as "hundreds of kids" partied all week at Layne's Dent house, neighbors later told him. They were neighbors who would, on the day Layne was due to return to his Ebenezer Road home, call to report the house was burning to the ground.

Even worse for Layne, his son was convicted this week in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court after admitting he burned down the house in a desperate attempt to cover up the damage his forbidden parties caused.

"He set three separate fires and torched it with gas," Layne said Tuesday as bulldozers knocked down the charred remains of his house, a loss the insurance company estimated at $380,000 for the house and its contents. "They got him to admit on tape he set the fires."

Layne found out about the fire, but not the culprit, Dec. 13 just before he was to fly back to Cincinnati.

"You talk about a long flight home," he said with a laugh, his wife next to him watching the demolition. "I was just sick."

His pain increased, though, when he was told his own flesh and blood was to blame.

"I couldn't believe my own son would do this. He showed no remorse at the trial. He just sat there," Layne said. "It's just been a nightmare you just can't wake up from."

While his son lived with his ex-wife in Price Hill, Layne allowed his son to come to his house each morning so the teen could attend Oak Hills and ride there with a neighbor.

When they were leaving Dent for the airport, Layne's son was his usual personable self.

"He gave us a huge hug and said, 'Have a good time.' I told him I would bring him a T-shirt," Layne said.

He warned the teen not to have parties, believing the warning was enough because the teen had never been a problem.

Instead, he later found out, the teen had "parties all week" that resulted in some damage to the house -- holes in a few walls and a kitchen cabinet was scratched -- but nothing that couldn't be repaired.

The fire was so hot -- exceeding 2,000 degrees, fire officials estimated -- that the house's I-beam that supported the house buckled, forcing the entire structure to be razed.

"It's incredible to me. He burned down the house to try to cover it up," Layne said.

"It's enough to nauseate you. We've cried. We've pretty much gone through the whole range of emotions.

"It's like there is an empty hole in my stomach. You just don't understand how this happened."

Layne's ex-wife did not return calls requesting comment for this article.

Layne's nausea returned when he learned his son likely would receive minimal punishment for his admitted crimes.

The teen was convicted Monday when assistant prosecutors reduced the charges against him. They told Layne they expected the teen to receive a "slap on the wrist" and be ordered to receive counseling.

Prosecutor Mike Allen called his assistant's representation to Layne "a poor choice of words" but said it was likely accurate. Those, he added, are the frustrations of dealing with juvenile criminals who usually aren't subject to punishment once they reach the age of majority.

"I thought that they would send him away to a juvenile home until he was 18 or something," Layne said.

Layne likely will end his relationship with his son.

"The sad thing is, we lost my son in this, too. "I felt betrayed and hurt. I never want him on my property again," Layne said.

"That's probably the last I'll see of him. To do something like this is just monstrous."

He and his wife have been living in an apartment since the fire. They plan to rebuild.

"I guess we just go on with our lives," he said.


Publication Date: 01-10-2004

[GoldenRetrLuver]

And my parents think I'm bad....:eek:

Wow, I can't even imagine anyone doing that. I feel sorry for his parents.

[RICHARD]

When they were leaving Dent for the airport, Layne's son was his usual personable self.

"He gave us a huge hug and said, 'Have a good time.' I told him I would bring him a T-shirt,"
Layne said.

-----------------------
I TORCHED MY HOUSE AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT.



If he was my kid I would thank the cops for taking him away......I would have killed the twerp.
And who in their right mind leaves a 16 year old at home with no supervision?????

Bad move, Chucky.:eek:

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Originally posted by RICHARD
I TORCHED MY HOUSE AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT.


LMAO Richard. :D :D

[RICHARD]

And what about the neighbors who watched 'hundred's of kids" partying at the house.....




NO PHONE CALL....Imagine that!
a.h.'s waited until the house burned down.....

I'd sell and find a neighborhood where real neighbors live........

[2kitties]

When I was 15, my parents went out of town and I threw a party. It got out of hand and the yard got toilet papered and someone fried my guppies. I was grounded for 6 months.

I'm gonna send this to my folks to show them what a Really bad kid does. Makes me feel less dysfunctional!

[popcornbird]

OMG!!!! :eek::eek::eek: Crazy kid. :rolleyes: I suppose the parents are to blame as well though..............you don't leave that type of kid alone for such an extensive period of time. It just isn't the smart thing to do.........:rolleyes:

2kitties..............you were a crazy kid eh? ;) :o :o I would NEVER do something like that, and still, my parents wouldn't leave me home alone and go on vacation. Heck I wouldn't let them anyway. :p I'd be much too scared to stay alone at night! :eek:

[G.P.girl]

and we're not allowed to spank our kids....hmm...:rolleyes:

I'd press charges agianst him if he were my kid and have him put in jail or juvi (sp?)

[G.P.girl]

oh yeah...i would probly throw a small party while my parents were gone, just for the heck of it..but it wouldn't be some crazy party....but then agian my mom is to paraniod to leave while she travels somewhere and i have two siblings who would tell on me in a heartbeat...so my chances of throwing a party are pretty slim;) :p

[Dogz]

Yup, crazy kid.:rolleyes:

I'm sure the father will be glad he doesn't have to see the 'twerp' again.

[Uabassoon]

My parents would have never left me alone when I was 16. Only once in high school did they go on a trip without me and they had my aunt stay at the house with me to make sure nothing bad happened. The first time I was actually left there alone oevernight I was 19 (I had gone home from college for summer vacation). I wasn't supposed to invite anyone over, but I got scared in that big house alone and invited a friend to spend the night. But when my parents got back into town I ended up telling them about it. I can't believe what this kid did! I didn't want kids before, but now I am even more sure that I never want to have children.

[Twisterdog]

Oh yes ... bad, spoiled, horrid child ... no doubt. He ought to be spending a good, long time in a juvenile home.

However .....


John Layne started Christmas early last year, flying to San Diego with his wife Dec. 5 to visit his father. Layne, 40, instructed his 16-year-old son, a sophomore at Oak Hills High, to behave and not have any parties. That sensible parental advice fell on deaf ears, though ...

Oh, ya think?!?! Sensible parental advice falling on deaf teenage ears? Who would have thunk it??? :rolleyes:

What kind of IDIOTS leave their sixteen year old alone with no supervision, not even a relative staying in the house or checking in every night? That is SO incredibly stupid. No, no one expects their kids to torch their own house ... however, most parents WOULD expect their kid to throw a party, or break their curfew or otherwise break the rules left alone with no adults. Come on .....:rolleyes:

[RobiLee]

Wow. That is awful. I just don't know what I would do if my son did something like that. Of course I mentioned this to my son and he says its the parents fault for making the kid so afraid of them that he couldn't tell the truth....then he said he was just teasing that there is really something wrong with that kid.

My parents left me and my sister home every once in awhile for long weekends and stuff. I had some pretty fun parties back then. I never got to fully enjoy them though. I was always too paranoid about what kind of damage would be done and was constantly going around checking out what everyone was doing and making sure things were ok. I don't think my parents ever knew. We told them about it not too long ago and they acted completely shocked. Especially when my sister told them that she had the keg of beer sitting in the middle of the kitchen..hehehe. My parents can be so naive at times....lol.

I have also left my son home alone quite a bit in his teen years. I have been very lucky that my son seems to be a responsible kid when we are away. I don't feel I am naive and I don't think he has me fooled. He is against drinking and drugs and the whole party scene We are pretty open with each other. My son has just told me that the first time we left him alone for the weekend he was fifteen and after he got his liscense we started going away a little bit more on the weekends.

Ok, I'm rambling now...Robin :)

[RobiLee]

Just wanted to point out that I'm not one of the IDIOTS. My son knew that his grandparents and his aunt were always around and would be calling and could drive by at any time. Also, I have great neighbors next door.

Robin :)

P.S. Hehehe...my son took offense to the idiot remark. I think he thought you were referring to me. He says the only idiots are the parents that don't teach their kids values, love and respect. Wow, I can't believe he actually said that. This is the same kid who was screaming at me the other day that I just need to leave him alone and quit parenting him all the time.....lol. He's 20 now and sorry but the parenting never stops!...lol....especially since he's still at home. :p

[G.P.girl]

Originally posted by RobiLee

I had some pretty fun parties back then. I never got to fully enjoy them though. I was always too paranoid about what kind of damage would be done and was constantly going around checking out what everyone was doing and making sure things were ok. I don't think my parents ever knew. We told them about it not too long ago and they acted completely shocked.

hehe...that's why you go to other peoples parties;)

my aunt threw a party ine time when her parents were gone (about a year after my mom moved out) and they never knew, until they told my grandparents and my grampa thought it was funny, but my grama got really mad (my aunt was 30 at the time) lol

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by RobiLee
He's 20 now and sorry but the parenting never stops!...lol....especially since he's still at home. :p


A little bit of advice....


Remember,

The first day that you move out on your own is the day you take responsibility for your self.

The first day you screw up, is the day you call your own house, get your own answering machine/voice mail and leave yourself a message that you need help.

Then you wait to get a call from yourself.;)


When the call comes through, you are all grown up...

Hopefully, you never have to make that call.

Now, I was left alone quite a few times...

The thing that happened with drinking the bleach was an accident....:eek:


It all depends on your relationship between the parents and kids.......some kids are more mature than others..

[2kitties]

I was left alone and never had any issues. Usually it was just a bunch of girls getting together for a slumber. The idea of a wild animal house blow out was always out because everyone knew we'd get caught.
Even my party story is actually very tame. A party was thrown and it got out of hand- but not in a drinking, dangerous way. It was just kids having too much fun. And, if I recall correctly, almost every teen incident of too much fun results in somebody's lawn getting toiletpapered. In my case, there were two parties on the street- both of them harmless. Except we each decided to *prank* the other party. Even now my parents agree they completely overreacted by grounding me for so long. And I managed to go to college, get a job, move out and not mooch off them in my adulthood and am a contributing member of society.

I think the teen party is a right of passage. It is what it is.

This story is a kid with MUCH bigger issues than being left alone overnight. The problem here is not a lack of supervision. It is a whole other set of mental issues. Ask any teenager you know and they can tell you that catching your house on fire is wrong.

I don't have children. But when I do, I'll hopefully raise them with enough common sense to spend a night alone in their own home without burning the house down! lol

[RobiLee]

Originally posted by 2kitties
This story is a kid with MUCH bigger issues than being left alone overnight. The problem here is not a lack of supervision. It is a whole other set of mental issues. Ask any teenager you know and they can tell you that catching your house on fire is wrong.

I agree, 2kitties!


I'm going to remember that advice, Richard and pass it along.

Robin :)

[lovemyshiba]

ROTFLMAO Richard!!! "Lousy T-shirt":D

We had the parties in high school too--I can remember one at a friend's getting a little out of hand, but obviously not to that extent. She was dumb though, her dad was a teacher, and the party was the talk of the school Monday morning:rolleyes:

I can remember being left home alone for a weekend once, I had probably 5 or 6 people stay over. My grandparents lived 2 houses down, and in the morning, as we were all sprawled all over the living room, Grandpa came up to check on me and the dog!!!!:)

I had people over another time my parents were away, if was my freshman year of college, and I was home for Christmas break, and there were probably 10 of us or so--they knew I would probably have people over, so it was no big deal. My dad found a beer cap under a cabinet a few months later--he knew where it came from;)

[mugsy]

1. When I was 16 my parents wouldn't even consider leaving me alone.

2. People are so afraid of their kids calling CPS that they won't discipline them, and we are now seeing the results.

3. The court system just furthers the "dumbing down" of discipline. A slap on the wrist? He burnt a house down ON PURPOSE....he should do time until he's 18...at which time his record is basically purged since it is sealed.

4. Irresponsible neighbors too....the police should have been called.

5. Where was mother during all of this...she thinks it's ok for her son to stay at his father's house while father is gone?

6. I smell a rat....

[Tonya]

Originally posted by 2kitties
This story is a kid with MUCH bigger issues than being left alone overnight. The problem here is not a lack of supervision. It is a whole other set of mental issues. Ask any teenager you know and they can tell you that catching your house on fire is wrong.

Exactly!

[ramanth]

Originally posted by Twisterdog
What kind of IDIOTS leave their sixteen year old alone with no supervision, not even a relative staying in the house or checking in every night?
My parents. :(

My sisters and I were left home alone when I was in my teens. I was in charge. We were told not to throw a party and we didn't. My sisters and I had TWO friends over to stay with us when we were bored.

I guess I'll just have to sit my mom down and find out how in the heck she raised me so I can have similar success and not end up in the news like that poor guy.

*edit* Just wanted to say that our situations sound similar Robin. Our Grandparents and neighbors knew my parents would be going out of town and would check up on us if they felt it was justified but they must of trusted us because they hardly ever did.

:)

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

MY GOODNESS.......

When i was a teenager... my mom had to leave me a bit because she lost her job and had to take a night job... and i had people over a lot.. but you have to be an IRRESPONSIBLE, CARELESS KID.. to let your party get so out of hand that anything is damaged...

I think this kid has some serious problems...

#1 he is immature and unintelligent.. anyone knows that when a house or anything for that matter is set on fire... they can tell if it was arson..

and #2... most teenagers will try to the death to cover up the damage if they have to patch the hole or move around furniture.. or even deny they did the damage all together...

something just doesn't seem right....:confused:

[CathyBogart]

Originally posted by Twisterdog
What kind of IDIOTS leave their sixteen year old alone with no supervision, not even a relative staying in the house or checking in every night? That is SO incredibly stupid. No, no one expects their kids to torch their own house ... however, most parents WOULD expect their kid to throw a party, or break their curfew or otherwise break the rules left alone with no adults. Come on .....:rolleyes:

Don't call my parents idiots! I think you may be saying something about more peoples' parents here than you know with that comment. They went on several weekend trips with my siblings but without me from the time I was sixteen and up. (Because retail jobs are hard to get time off from)

I can honestly say that I never did anything that they wouldn't approve of. (Although that's probably because my parties involve less than ten people coming over to make sushi and roleplay. *Chuckles*)

I saw this article elsewhere, and it made me sooo glad I'm Childfree!! :D Every time I see something like this it reaffirms that my chosen lifestyle is the right one for me!!

[Kfamr]

Wow.. Not only are the parents idiots, but the kid is an idiot.
My brother (much older than me) and I have been left alone before, no longer than 24 hours, but we've made holes in walls, broken things, and i'm sure lots of other things. We've patched walls and cleaned up our mistakes MANY times. We've always told them about what happened, but we always cleaned up after ourselves as well. Never to the point of setting the house on fire. :o



I personally love when my parents let me stay home alone.
If I didn't have dogs, I'd hate it. They've never allowed me to stay home more than 24 hours alone, and I wouldn't want to anyways. The biggest thing I worry about while I'm home alone
is if what if anything happened to the dogs. I can't drive, I have no transportation.

I've never had a party though, I'd only have a party with my parents approval. Other than that I love the alone time with the pups and a party would ruin the nice, quiet, relaxed time alone. :p

[RICHARD]

FIRE ISLAND
by the FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE
----------------------

Driving on the lawn
Sleeping on the roof
Drinking all the alcohol
All the kids from school
Will be naked in the pool
While our parents are on Fire Island

Cranking up the tunes
'Til the windows break
Feeding chocolate to the dog
Jumping on the couch
'Til the feathers all come out
While our parents are on Fire Island

We're old enough by now
To take care of each other
We don't need no babysitter
We don't need no father or mother
We're old enough by now
Don't worry 'bout a thing
Don't you remember
Last December
When you went to Steamboat Springs?

Driving on the lawn
Sleeping on the roof
Drinking all the alcohol
All the kids from school
Will be naked in the pool
While our parents are on Fire Island

[Twisterdog]

Don't call my parents idiots! I think you may be saying something about more peoples' parents here than you know with that comment ... I can honestly say that I never did anything that they wouldn't approve of. (Although that's probably because my parties involve less than ten people coming over to make sushi and roleplay. *Chuckles*)

Don't take it personally, my goodness. If that is the wildest thing you ever did as a teen ... make sushi and roleplay ... then good for you. And, your parents probably KNEW that, therefore knew they could leave for the weekend.

However ... they were lucky. Most parents are not so lucky, and have at least one wild kid in the family. Or, not necesarily wild, maybe just immature and not capable of making good choices yet.

I know personally of one teen, in my town, whose parents left for the weekend. The teen told a couple of her friends to come over and watch movies. That is ALL she had in mind. Well, one of those friends invited some boys. The girl didn't want to to look un-cool, so she didn't say anything. Then, a couple more people showed up, who told a couple more, etc. They had a raging party that TRASHED the house ... and it was not what the girl intended at all. She was just too insecure/immature to say anything, and by the time it was out of control, it was too late. Had relatives or family been told to check up on her, it wouldn't have happened.

And, partying aside, I do not think it is EVER a good idea to leave a teen alone with no one checking up on them. What if the furnace malfunctions, and the CO2 levels rise? What if they fall down the stairs and hit their head? What if their car slides into a ditch, where no one can see them, and they are trapped inside for three days, because their parents are out of town and no one is checking on them? (Also a true story from my town, BTW.)

Teenagers do NOT have the decades of life experience that mature adults have, and they have never run a household or a house by themselves. I'm not bashing teenagers, or saying they are incompetent or stupid. I was a teenager myself once, too. But, the fact of the matter is, someone needs to check on them daily. So, I'm sorry if the way I phrased that sentence offended anyone, but I stand by it - teens left alone for a weekend or a week with no one checking on them is not smart.





Our Grandparents and neighbors knew my parents would be going out of town and would check up on us if they felt it was justified but they must of trusted us because they hardly ever did.

And that's what I meant - someone knew, and could check ... and you knew it.

[IttyBittyKitty]

Yeah, leave a sixteen year old boy in your house alone for a week and tell him to to have parties? You may as well lock Michael Jackson in a dark room with a small boy and ask Michael not to touch him!

[Denyce]

While his son lived with his ex-wife in Price Hill, Layne allowed his son to come to his house each morning so the teen could attend Oak Hills and ride there with a neighbor

I think you all have missed an important point in the story. The son was NOT left ALONE in the sense that he didn't LIVE at this home. He lives with his mother somewhere else. He is only allowed ACCESS to the fathers home so that he can bypass the residency rules and attend a different school than the one he should be attending where he actually resides. That is where the father made a mistake. That and apparently giving the child keys to a home he doesn't live in. The son didn't have any of HIS personal belongings in the home so what did he care if it was burned down.

To me what is important in being a parent is to set a good example. His father was setting the example that it is ok to break the rules if it is a benefit to yourself. If he hadn't done that in the first place and hadn't given the brat keys then perhaps this never would have happened eh?

Denyce

[moosmom]

Leaving a 16 year old alone in a home and telling him not to have parties is absolutely ABSURD!!!!!

I hope the little juvenile enjoys his sentence. Maybe by the time he's a man he'll understand the repercussions of his mistakes. His time in jail will give him PLENTY of opportunity to stew.

[Cataholic]

Living in Cincinnati is so great, isn't it?

If the child was living with him mom, in Price Hill, he would be required to attend Cincinnati Public Schools. If I were a parent, I, too, might have bent the rules to get my child into the Oak Hills School district. LOL......not really.

The way the 'rules' work...we are lighter on juveniles than we are on adult offenders. AND, if this kid thought burning down the house was the right course of action, maybe counseling would be a better way to go than juvenile hall, too.

What is kind of suprising to me is that the dad would walk away from the relationship because of this. I know arson (and, was it arson rather than some reckless or negligent conduct?) is serious, but, so is the relationship with your child.

[K9soul]

I was left alone sometimes overnight at that age, but my mom really knew me and knew she could trust me. She also had friends/family call sometimes to make sure I was ok, and called herself too. It wasn't even out of distrust of me but just to check and make sure there were no problems etc. :)

Even now, my mother-in-law who lives nearby will call and see if how I'm doing if she knows my husband is out of town. It's just kind of nice to know someone is thinking of you. Accidents and mishaps can happen and it sure never hurts to have someone call or check in.

[zanzanfergie]

Originally posted by Cataholic
What is kind of suprising to me is that the dad would walk away from the relationship because of this. I know arson (and, was it arson rather than some reckless or negligent conduct?) is serious, but, so is the relationship with your child.
That's what struck me about the article too. I don't think their relationship was a normal one before the fire, somehow, and I think both parent and child is to blame. But we won't ever know for sure.

[CountryWolf07]

WOW! :eek: Stupid kid. I feel bad for his parents - I guess they have a right to disown him if he shows no sympathy or remorse to what he had done to the house!

[RICHARD]

A friend of mine called to chat.....

As we went deeper into the conversation she mentioned that her 16 year old daughter had 'run' into some problems.

My friend just bought a convertible mustang to give to her daughter when she got her driver's license...

The daughter took the car out BEFORE getting her license and drove it off the freeway into a ditch..

Mom had to finish paying off the balance of the car- 2,000 dollars to get the car out of the impound- and then worry about what fines and court costs that may come up because the 16 year old was on probabtion for arson!!!

The more I think of this story and the "burning down the house" story I see that you can put most of the blame on the parents..

After telling me the car story, my friend just giggled and passed it off as a 'teenage oops'
and let it go at that!

:confused: :rolleyes: :confused: