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I think that even when children do horrible and horrific things they are still children. Their brains simply do not work the same way that adults do, and studies have demonstrated this over and over again. They should be tried as children, because they are children.

Exactly what @Silva: said.

Whether to try them as adults vs. juveniles should be determined based on the facts of each crime. If this was a spontaneous event gone wrong, I would agree that they should be tried as juveniles. But this was carefully planned and executed, which puts it into a completely different category for me, and I agree that for these reasons their actions are egregious enough to warrant sentences/punishments applicable to adults. That doesn't mean that they'll get life . . . but it does mean they will be evaluated and treated for a long time to come.

@MamaMoose: Exactly. This behavior is other-worldly to me.

@MamaMoose: i agree

I get that their brains aren't as "developed" as an adults, but they still had the ability to carefully create the plan, follow through on the plan, and even defend the plan. A 12-year-old absolutely understands that murder is wrong. You commit an adult act, you get tried as an adult.

@MsLipGloss: completely agree

I honestly don't know what to think. It's so bizarre and horrific to me.

Had anyone ever heard of this internet character before?

This is mortifying. I just cannot wrap my head around it. My gut reaction is no, they're children - try them as such.

but after reading the article, I do think they should be tried as adults and carry this with them. It is a sobering thought how this one act will define the one life they get. They won't have the high school experience, going off to college, getting their first job, marriage, kids etc... they have stripped themselves of a future, basically. And that's why it seems "unfair" to try them as adults. But like others mentioned, this was methodically contemplated for months on end. I think there is a psychological issue going on if they are 12 years old and believing in myths/fairy tales.

I think there is a big difference between a child acting out in anger and hurting someone else, or simply not understanding that say, a gun is dangerous... and meticulously planning the murder of a friend for months and then executing the plan and stabbing someone 19 times. Imagine, these girls kept on stabbing even when their friend was bleeding and screaming for her life. They really did try and kill her, then they left her for dead. They knew exactly what they were doing.

I think they absolutely should be tried as adults. 12 years old is old enough for them to have understood completely what they were doing and I think the premeditation they put in to their crime proves that.

I am trying my hardest to remember when I stop believing in Santa. Was I younger than 12? I don't remember. I want to say it was around that time maybe. My parents have this rule that as long as we "believe" we still get presents from him so I forgot when I started to pretend to believe.

I remember trying to being good so I could get a good present. To basically appease the myth of Santa. Isn't that planning?

From what I understand this character is a little bit like Santa but in a very very twisted way.

I think they should be tried as children because obviously they don't have the mental capacity yet to know what is fact and fiction.

Man, so crazy. I read all the comments below the article too. I lean towards trying them as adults.

I feel like believing in Santa or boogey man or having other make belief fantasies, is still different from thinking that they should stab their friend 19 times to kill her as a sacrifice for this slenderman.

I think they need a further pysch eval to figure out what's going on with them to determine how long they need to be in the system for. I'm not sure if 6 yrs would be enough right now.

@Raindrop: It's planning the execution of a violent crime that is the issue here, not their belief in a *myth* . . . which is not at all like planning to be good to get a treat at the end of a shopping trip, or planning to get your allowance by doing chores. . . like @Pui: explained, if the first plunge of the knife (it takes a surprising amount of force to stab someone) and/or their friend begging and pleading for her life didn't compel them to stop . . . then their mental capacity (and intestinal fortitude) stands in stark brutal contrast to every other child and adult that I know whose mental capacity could not even bear the thought of planning such a crime, let alone carrying it out.

There have been cases of adults acting just as absurdly. One case that comes to mind is the "vampire killers" who killed a man because one of them was a vampire and needed to feed. These were adult women. They didn't get let off easy just because their reason for committing murder was so absurd. I don't think it matters much that these kids said they did this crime to appease a fictional character, it's the nature of the crime that matters.

I'm sure lots of 12-year-olds are interested in the occult and write "spells" and perform "rituals" and believe in evil spirits and even think those evil spirits are cool... but they don't plan and carry out the murder of a classmate.

@pinkcupcake: When I made the mention of missing out on the rest of "life" basically, I made note that THEY themselves personally stripped themself of a future. I didn't say that they should get to experience childhood because they're only 12. But it's a sobering thought that what they've done has taken it away. I agree after reading a few more articles myself that they should be tried as adults. I do think there were serious deeper psychological issues going on.

@MsLipGloss: I found this article which detailed what happened - apparently they had planned how they would do it and "chickened out" twice before actually doing it. http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Girl-Charged-in-Stabbing-is-Mentally-Ill-Attorney-Says-261723691.html

@Mrs. Pen: Wow. I am speechless.

I think in this case it seems reasonable. The crime was planned for so long and was so brutal. I'd be interested to hear more about their mental states after being evaluated by doctors, but it seems to me that they knew what they did was wrong.

Something I don't agree with, however, is I read yesterday that in Wisconsin anyone 10 and older is automatically charged as an adult in cases of homicide or attempted homicide. I think it should be on a case-by-case basis, not a blanket rule.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/wisconsin-stabbing-highlights-juvenile-crime-laws

I think they should be tried as adults for many of the reasons already stated. Trying them as adults does not equal putting them in adult prison, as many seem to think. Clearly they need mental/psychological help and should be put in a place where they can get it. But the idea of these girls being released at age 18 and potentially being able to have their record sealed or expunged, as often happens with crimes committed by minors, is terrifying. There is something wrong at a very deep level for a 12 year old to plan out the murder of their innocent friend, and actually try to carry it out. Pre-teen or adult, someone capable of an act like that needs to be put away and under serious treatment for a very long time for the good of both them self and others.

I think one of the worst things was that one girl was quoted as saying something like it was weird that she didn't feel any remorse.