BALTIMORE — In October, Digi Business Center on Greenmount Avenue was broken into several times. The suspect or suspects made off with money and supplies housed inside. Police arrested one suspect, but instead of spending time behind bars, owner Tia Hamilton had other plans for him.
Hamilton said after police arrested the suspect who broke into her store, she did not want to see the young man go to jail.
"I’m an adult that has not forgotten what we were like when we were that age, right, and I also understand that when children are doing things wrong they are asking for help in other ways," Hamilton said.
Business owner mentors young man who broke into her store
When the suspect had his day in court, Hamilton came up with a plan to keep him out of a cell. She pleaded with the judge to release the suspect into her care to complete the 360 hours of community service he was sentenced to.
"The court room broke down people in the court room, the judge, the bailiff, everybody was like wow, you're the victim, it doesn’t matter but that baby hugged me so tight and I said this is what you needed," Hamilton said.
Assistant State's Attorney Juan Issac De La Cruz said they do not see this type of decision often, but it is one that will change the boy's life.
"A juncture in his life where he could either go down one of several paths, to have Miss Tia be so ready and capable to take him under her wing is an amazing opportunity not only for him to not only make right with the damage that he has done to that particular business, but to the surrounding community," De La Cruz said.
Hamilton said when she learned more about the suspect's life, she could not turn away from someone who she says is simply in need of guidance.
"We gotta stop judging and find out why and provide the solutions," Hamilton said.
Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates said this type of reform is what his office supports. He said it is not about locking people up, it is about accountability.
"We as an office come across those rare opportunities our job isn’t about a record our job is about how can we help make the community better. Giving this young man a record wasn’t going to do that. What makes the community better is allowing him to be with a person to give him the love to give him the support to give him the guidance that he needs so that he can be a better member of society," Bates said.
Hamilton said she is holding more than the youth accountable, but adults as well.
"If you have a community and your worries about teenage rapid uptick in crime, organize your community," Hamilton said.
The State's Attorney's Office said if the suspect completes the community service hours before eight months, he can get this incident expunged from his record.
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