11-Year-Old To Face Judge For Writing Name In Wet Cement

A gang of tween vandals were "tagging" their names in wet cement outside their school in Middlesex, New Jersey recently when the local constabulary happened upon them. Taking swift action, police collared the young hoodlums, took them downtown for questioning, and finally handed them over to their parents, who signed an agreement to punish the children and paid a $250 fine each—except the father of 11-year-old Kelly Zierdt, who is refusing to pay his daughter's debt to society. And now his little princess is being called before a judge to face justice.

The sixth grade scofflaw tells Fox 9 that when police arrived at the scene, she heard an officer say, "Let’s put these kids in the back of the car; we’re bringing them to headquarters. And then me and my friends started crying our eyes out." Now she's "scared because I'm going to have to go like in front of the judge and stuff." But her dad Harry refuses to back down, and insists his daughter has learned her lesson simply because of the "embarrassment of having to go down to the police station." He also points out that his precious darling is an honor student, and made sure to get her in front of the news cameras playing piano like a little angel.

We suppose that if you hand in your homework on time and can play Chopsticks on a keyboard, that gives you the right to deface public property? With parents like Harry Zierdt, it's no wonder Middlesex has the highest rate of sidewalk name-writing in the lower 48! Yes, we just made that up, but we all know that sidewalks across America are riddled with the names of blackguards and reprobates like little Kelly here, and it's time to send a message. And don't let her adorable little face fool you—today it's sidewalk graffiti, tomorrow she's slitting your throat for Silly Bandz money. This story just makes us grateful that this kind of degenerate behavior isn't tolerated here in NYC.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on January 6, 2011 10:10 AM

Comments [rss]

brwnmamba

the young lady defaced property - someone needs to pay the fine or do some community service

defacing property is the same whether or not you:

- write your name in cement
- tag, spray paint or bomb the side of a building
- etch your name or sign in plastic
- write stuff on a desk in permanent marker

i don't care if this girl is an honor student w/ a prick dad who wants her off the hook -- if this was a young man of color that spray painted their name on an abandoned car and arrested, the kid would be on the fast-track-to-juvie

sorry pops - the embarrassment of being taken to the police station is not enough. how about she walk around times square with a stick picking up trash or scrubbing toilets in public - that would be satisfactory

Dubai Directory

Well no doubt that rules are for everyone. For the progress and prosper of any state, jury should be brave and honest. But this case is a little different and this child seems innocent. There must be a possibility to forgive her or to punish her with the lenient possibility available.

Ph

There's a couple supermarkets with my initials carved into their front walkways still around. The concrete walkway in front of where I grew up still has them too.

The cops were called about this? Really?

HymietownHero

Father needs to clearly illustrate that people are held accountable for their wrongdoing. Girl needs to learn not to mess everyone's stuff up. Police need to learn how to not scare the shit out of little girls. People generally need to chill out about something as innocuous as writing in wet cement.

Jesse James Payette-Steinberg

She wrote something in wet cement, who cares. By next year that same sidewalk will probably be cracking.

Purp

>11-year-old Kelly

blink667

I love precocious children; here's hoping she gives the judge the finger and tells him to f*ck off.

ourlifeinwords

I find this so ludicrous! But then again, this is a town where police will pull over and stop 5 year olds from riding their bicycles on the sidewalk in front of their home, so I shouldn't be surprised! It's extreme to make parents pay for this kind of thing.

Let's just think outside the box here, people. Let's envision the cement outside of a school with kids' handprints in it...that would look fitting. It would look nice.

I stand with Harry Zeirdt and Kelly!!!!

HypocraticOath

Wait- it is extreme to hold parents responsible when their kids deface public property? Are you for real?

And I have envisioned a school with lots of handprints in cement outside...its called a public hazard and a lawsuit waiting to happen (which would cost your town far more than the parents were responsible for).

There is something to be said for thinking before posting to the internet.

Guest

OMFG U Guyz!!!! She already paid her debt to society by like being all TOTALLY embarrassed and stuff.

Guest

also, just pay the goddamn money, will ya? you're not supposed to get caught, and she didn't succeed in not getting caught so someone has to pay the price here; and she's only 11 so you have to pay. and you get to discipline your child:

"see? you got caught. now i have to discipline you -- don't do it next time."
"sure dad. ...wait, you mean scratching the sidewalk or...?"

thank god i have no children.

EDIT: i'm not an endorser of sidewalk defacing, but if you must, choose public. and please, never private -- because that one has a person attached to it. thank you.

SolarPowered

Um so she wrote her name on the side walk. So what? That's a normal thing for most people.

Spirit of 76

I guess I must be abnormal because I grew up respecting other people's property.

Spirit of 76

Mr. Zierdt, there's a big difference between academic honors and personal honor. A good father would be teaching his kid how to have both.

Guest

...will we ever be safe?

Steve Zakszewski

Thank god these dangerous hoodlums were taken off the street and slapped in jail. If we allow 11 year olds to deface public property, then Al Qaeda has won. Now that the Republicans are back in charge, don't do the crime if you can't do the time! God bless America!

kazubes

I don't understand comments that the sidewalk defacing is a non-issue...why don't I key your car door with my name..who cares it doesn't affect the performance of the vehicle right!
The kids got caught being stupid and were taught a lesson in what happens when you break the law. In addition, the sidewalk needs to be repaved which costs the municipality more money...and this delusional father is just a great example of parents today who take no responsibility for their childrens actions. Hopefully he loses and gets a reality check

Spirit of 76

Did you look at the video? The father has a potbelly, soul patch, earring and long hair. He thinks he's a "kewl" dad and wouldn't know responsibility if he tripped over it. Probably had her when he was 20 years old and figured he didn't need a condom.

hotstepper

the cops overreacted. now gothamist commenters are overreacting. kudos all around.

nolastname

I do not think they did. Should they have gone door to door looking for parents (if anyone is home) or bring them in and make phone calls.
They defaced property and should pay for it, all included.

hotstepper

aren't you glad that you live in a country where people are wealthy and safe enough to consider this minor childhood infraction newsworthy?

nolastname

I don't know about the wealthy or safe people. Seems more like stubborn
and on my behalf bored with snow issues. Not that snow issues are to be taken lightly.

Ladder157

Repouring a sidewalk because some dumb ass kid defaced it is a terrible pain and expensive. The father is telling his daughter that vandalism is OK.

Midori Ltv Amasaki

How many were nabbed for this? $250 a pop for a few kids is a lot of money to fix what would probably take an hour or two at most. Maybe we should be questioning how much the government is blowing on cementing a sidewalk, and who's getting the kickbacks from the contractor who's overcharging for the job!

Ladder157

$250 for a new sidewalk is as cheap as it gets.

Mike Patterson

Ummm, they wrote their names in wet cement! Complete waste of time, energy and money. They coulda taken the kids home to their parents...sternly. A Judge? A $250.00 fine? A "contract" to punish the kid? I'm with the father on this one! Simply stupid!

unretrofiedforu

No. The father is the stupid one. They are doing this to make a point. Honestly, I'd rather our taxpayer money get wasted on this situation to prove the point.

Guest

MAYBE SHE SHOULD JUST HAVE TO LEAVE AN IMPRINT OF HER FACE IN THE CONCRETE. LITTLE VANDAL.

Guest

"hey bob, those teenagers are dealing drugs over there."
"yeah, but they look real scary -- hey, look what we got here instead..."

HypocraticOath

This idiot father is setting such a bad example for his kid. The ride down to the police station was PART of the punishment- what do you think she learned? That actions have consequences, only when Daddy agrees with them?

The father should be kicked in the face just for wasting the court system's time and Kelly and her dumb friends should be forced to repave the sidewalk.

robingee

Kicked in the face? Come on now, slugger.

HypocraticOath

Yes. Because what the father is doing has ramifications beyond his own household. What happens with the daughter's kids when they act out? Or the parents of the other kids who paid fairly and moved on and now have to explain why one of them isnt in line with the punishment? Or to the NJ court system who now has to take up even more time on this crap. It's called a ripple effect and one form of this is my foot rippling into the guy's face.

robingee

Meh, you just sound like Internet Tough Guy. Not impressive.

whitecastlerock

New Jersey is broke and figures they could fleece an 11 year old's parents for an extra $250. At least the father gives a shit...

kswissreject

It costs money to repair the sidewalk, idiot.

whitecastlerock

The sidewalk isn't broken dumbass-a little kid made a mistake. Should we crucify her and her dad in the town square to satisfy your cries for justice?

chuzzlewit

zero impact on sidewalk performance.

plus i like looking at all the stuff people have written in wet cement. hell, i've even hit it a few times myself.

Ladder157

When I repair my sidewalk I sit outside until it is set. If I ever caught anyone making a mark in my slab, they'd be lucky not to wind up with a broken finger or foot.

chuzzlewit

see? you love the game too!

farleft

Noone's saying she should be crucified. They're saying she needs to pay a nominal amount for defacing public property and for the cost of repaving the sidewalk so her moment of narcissism isn't eternally tripped over.

whitecastlerock

Repave the sidewalk? Are you fucking kidding me? Get over yourselves. This is just another type of shakedown. $250 for "defacement" of a sidewalk. Meanwhile people can litter, spit, urinate, and allow their dogs to shit all over it for nothing...

farleft

Yes, repave the sidewalk. No, I'm not kidding. You want her to learn her lesson by getting off scot free?

And no, people can't litter. Littering is illegal also, subject to fine or community service. Here's the NJ punishment for littering:

"Fine of not less than $100 or more than $500. At courts discretion, twenty to forty hours of community service may also be required. If second conviction within six months of first, fine of not less than $250 or more than $1,000, may be sentenced to imprisonment not to exceed sixty days, and may receive forty to eighty hours of community service."

Spit, urine, and shit don't permanently destroy sidewalks.

You lose.

Mordicai

Naw, how about we slap the family on the wrist with a fine for $250 bucks. That sounds about fair.

planetoffinks

Actually being a member of the public gives you the right to deface public property.

Mordicai

You know...other people exist, right? I mean-- you are a member of the public but SO IS EVERYONE ELSE. You don't have the right to deface shared property, because you don't have the exclusive rights to it. Ethically & legally, BZZZZT.

planetoffinks

Actually, you do have that right. Just because you want all sidewalks and other public places stripped of human expression doesn't mean you get to impose that on others for exactly the reasons you outlined.