A 12-year-old 7th grader has been begging her parents to let her get the TikTok app on her iPhone for the last six months. Her parents have some concerns about TikTok, but they finally allow her to use it herself after months of begging. After all, she is an honor student and has never given them much trouble before. They know they can trust her. The father is shocked when he receives a phone call from the school asking him to come to the principal’s office due to vandalism. He knows it cannot have been his daughter! There must be some confusion.
When he shows up to the meeting, he learns that his daughter and two other friends did the “devious licks” challenge on TikTok. During this challenge, young people vandalize their school property and share the results on the TikTok app. His daughter and her friend vandalized the school bathroom by using hammers to shatter the glass and graffiti the walls. He cannot believe that his normally well-behaved daughter is now facing criminal charges for vandalism. His daughter, who was on track to go to college and had a bright future ahead of her, may now have a criminal record because of an app. Unfortunately, he is not the only parent facing fallout from a child being arrested for a TikTok challenge.
Has Your Child Been Caught Doing the Devious Licks Challenge?
Many students in Illinois throughout the country have been required to learn at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most schools have reopened, and things are getting back to normal for Illinois students. Now schools are having to deal with other unique challenges, including the use of a social media app called TikTok. Some schools have begun shutting down their bathrooms to prevent them from being vandalized by the “devious licks” challenge. Even if your child was not the ringleader and merely succumbed to peer pressure, he or she can still face criminal charges for vandalism due to participating in this TikTok challenge.
It is Important to Seek Legal Counsel as Soon as Possible
If your child has been charged with a crime due to a TikTok challenge, you may think that the charge is not as serious because it is a juvenile crime. On the contrary, Illinois has a strict juvenile court system. Even though the juvenile system is focused on rehabilitation, a conviction and time in jail will negatively affect your child’s future.
At Glasgow & Olsson, one of our experienced criminal defense lawyers can help you fight to get your child’s case dismissed or negotiate a favorable plea deal. We can also advocate for leniency or other creative resolutions that will avoid a negative impact on your child. If your child is convicted, we can help you seek an eventual expungement of the charge.
Contact an Illinois Juvenile Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
At Glasgow & Olsson, our award-winning criminal defense lawyers have a proven track record of success in many high-profile state and federal criminal cases. Contact Glasgow & Olsson today to schedule your initial consultation to learn how our legal team can fight for your rights if you or your child have been charged with a crime.