Story:
One evening, I come home and I see one of my sprinklers acting weird. I inspect the damage and find a crack which was easily fixed. The next day, my neighbor comes telling me my sprinkler is broken and water is leaking everywhere. This one had a huge crack and I had to completely replace it. Today, I find this little girl, about 10 years old, stepping on another one of my sprinklers. I told her to stop it and I inspect the damge, the same type of damage was on this one as well as the others. I found who the culprit is but it's a 10 yr old girl. Is this considered a criminal offense of some sort? Can I get her parents to pay for the damage she has caused to my property? or is it impossible to charge a minor of a crime?
Answers:
Since you cought her in the act of stepping on one of your sprinklers and breaking it, you can talk to her parents about having it replaced. The other ones are questionable. You might be able to have her charged with vandalism...if you just have a burning desire to have her charged with a misdemeanor.
The girl's family can be held liable for the damage. You could call the police or talk to the parents first.
You can ask her parents. You can take THEM to small calims court for them, because they're her legal gaurdians. But you cant sue her.
You would have to sign a complaint charging the 10 year old girl with vandalism, thereby making yourself the neighborhood ogre.
Simpler to go to her parents. If they refuse to pay for the damage, take them to small claims court.
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