But what I'm wondering is if they realise(d) there was a pattern. Because that's a big deal for one instance of water balloons. Not felony-big, but big.

It's a big deal if she had pre-meditated. She probably just reached down and threw the first thing she found. (I am impressed she was able to throw smething that big that well.) Kids don't necessarily think about the consequences of the rock being worse than the consequences of a water balloon. It possible both sets of parents would've worked out suitable punishments for both kids if the police hadn't stepped in. That's what happened when something would similar happen in my neighborhood growing up.

Or, what everyone else said.

I was just visiting a day camp, where they have "color wars," and the director was talking about the camp where his kids go, where they have "rock wars." We were like, WTF?!?!?! until he explained it's actually like deacade wars with a rock soundtrack -- the teams are 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s. Har. Seriously, ROCK WARS??

Is there any age at which you can't get charged with a felony? I mean, legally?

it varies by state, but I think that it might be 10 (I seem to recall a recent case where a kid couldn't be charged with a felony because he was only 6)

When my mother was a kid, she threw a rock at a kid who'd been tormenting her. He was walking away. She threw the rock. He turned around. Bam! Right in the eye.

She probably just reached down and threw the first thing she found. (I am impressed she was able to throw smething that big that well.) Kids don't necessarily think about the consequences of the rock being worse than the consequences of a water balloon. It possible both sets of parents would've worked out suitable punishments for both kids if the police hadn't stepped in. That what happened when something similar happened in my neighborhood growing up.

I said it first! but then, you said it better.

I was 11 once. And I knew the consequences of throwing a 2 lb rock at somebody.

I think felony assault is a little much, but I don't like that freemaribel site either that makes it seem like it was harmless childplay. The action needs to be dealt with, whether through therapy or discipline.

My brother threw a rubber mallet at his best friends when he was 5 when they got into a fight over something. Luckily, he had lousy aim. It's also when we discovered he knew the word 'asshole.' As did the entire neighborhood.

He got in BIG trouble with my parents.

When my mother was a kid, she threw a rock at a kid who'd been tormenting her. He was walking away. She threw the rock. He turned around. Bam! Right in the eye.

Yeah, when I was a kid, one of my buddies threw a rock at a girl, and missed by twenty feet, breaking a window instead. Since I was there, and I was the oldest (I was probably 11 at the time), I was the one who got in trouble.

I said it first!

Yes, you did.

for the mallet or the cussing? :)

Eleven is not tiny -- it's adolescent. I'm not saying 11 year olds are grownups, but they know what happens when you hit someone.