Crime & Safety
Oakland Co. Teen Detained For Not Doing Homework To Be Released
The Michigan Court of Appeals ordered that the girl be released into her mother's custody immediately.
OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — A 15-year-old Oakland County girl incarcerated after a judge ruled she violated her probation by not doing homework, among other reasons, will be released following a ruling by the Michigan Court of Appeals.
The girl, whose identity has not been released but who has been referred to as 'Grace,' will be released into her mother's custody pending appeal, The Detroit News reported Friday. The release is to be immediate, according to ProPublica's Jodi Cohen, who first published the story on Grace July 14 in a joint effort by ProPublica, The Detroit Free Press and Bridge Magazine.
Friday's decision comes after a group of supporters on Wednesday issued a joint statement requesting Grace's release from the Oakland County Michigan Children Village Detention Center.
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Related: More Support For 15-Year-Old Girl Jailed For Not Doing Homework
The teen was on probation after she was charged with assault in 2019. Weeks later, she was charged with larceny.
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Grace was placed in the juvenile facility in May after failing to complete class assignments from Groves High School in Beverly Hills after the school switched to online learning due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The judge, Oakland County Judge Mary Ellen Brennan, ruled that the girl failed to submit schoolwork, and did not get up for school.
On May 14, Brennan ordered Grace to Children's Village Detention Center in Pontiac.
Related: 15-Year-Old Girl Incarcerated For Not Doing Homework
Michigan Liberation Action Fund and other community organizations have held several protests demanding accountability.
Some of the group that form the #FreeGrace Community Collective include the Michigan Liberation Action Fund, 1StrongSister, EveryBlackGirl, Inc., #FreeGrace Change.org petition creators and other community supporters.
More than 300,000 signatures have made the #FreeGrace change.org petition, while over 6,000 letters have been written in support of Grace to state and county officials, the group said.
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