I am a marriage and family therapist, working closely with mentally delayed children. I know a child Hagen Sagers who has been unjustly charged as an adult in court. This child, by no fault of their own, does not possess the grey matter development and cognitive processes of a typical adult, inhibiting their ability to fully grasp the consequences of their actions. 

According to a study by the American Psychological Association, brain structures and functions associated with cognition and emotional regulation continue to develop well into early adulthood, thus emphasizing the need for age-appropriate judgement in legal proceedings (American Psychological Association, 2012). Charging a mentally delayed child as an adult is not only disproportionate but also overtly unjust, disregarding the child's unique cognitive circumstances.

Inclusive of the direct harm this does to the child, the potential implications of adult sentencing on their future are alarming. Research from the Juvenile Law Center shows that children convicted in adult court are twice as likely to reoffend than their peers convicted in juvenile court (Juvenile Law Center, 2018).

With this plea, we call on the local justice system to reconsider and reduce the adult charges levelled against this mentally delayed child to that of a juvenile. This is a call for equitable justice that considers cognitive development and upholds the child's rights to fair trial. Please sign this petition to stand with us in our quest for fairness and justice for this child.

The facts around this case are not released. 

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