My niece is being charged for protecting herself, her sister, and her friend from an immigrant man who harassed her with inappropriate comments. At just 12 years old, she was told she was 'sexy' by this man, which is completely unacceptable and disturbing. However, the situation escalated beyond verbal harassment.

This man assaulted my niece's 13-year-old sister, who was left with a severe concussion and a painful, tennis-ball-sized lump on the back of her head. It's unimaginable to think that in an attempt to defend against such an attack, my young niece now faces charges.

She has shown immense courage by standing up for herself and her sister in a terrifying situation where the adults were failing to protect them. Instead of facing a legal battle, my niece should be heralded as a hero. This is a severe miscarriage of justice and shifts the blame onto the wrong person.

It is crucial that the legal system reassess this situation with compassion and understanding, ensuring that the real perpetrator is held accountable while my niece goes free - free of any unjust charges levied against her. I urge the authorities to consider the emotional trauma and physical danger these young children faced and the bravery it took for them to defend themselves.

These charges must be dropped to restore faith in the justice system and protect children's rights to defend themselves from harm. Please support us in calling for the dismissal of these charges. Sign this petition to stand with us and ensure that justice prevails for my niece and our family.

We as a family do not glorify that she had the weapons but we all can understand the situation at hand she will be punished accordinly for having these weapons but we do not believe she deserves the punishment that she has been handed