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The Crime that Led to the Strictest Runaway Laws in America
Here’s a shocking fact: Washington has been ranked number one in the United States for jailing minors who committed noncriminal offenses. State laws allow Washington judges to sentence minors to time in detention centers when they partake in activities that are considered delinquent but not crimes for those over the age of 18.
The Tragic Case of Rebecca Hedman
It all started with the tragic case of Rebecca Hedman, a 13-year-old girl who ran away from her Tacoma home.
In September of 1993, the Hedmans received a call from their 13-year-old daughter. She was calling from a payphone to report she’d left the Spokane drug treatment center where they’d taken her. She told them not to come for her. Dennis and Darlene reported that the treatment center never even called to inform them that Rebecca had run away.
Rebecca Hedman had become addicted to crack cocaine, and she was performing sex work to get access to drugs. Apparently, parents in Washington were not able to keep their children in…
