Brianna Patrick will undergo a mental health evaluation to determine if she will remain in the juvenile justice system.
Jessica Orozco | The Lima News
LIMA — Allen County Juvenile Court Judge Todd Kohlrieser ruled that there is probable cause to continue proceedings in the case of one of the minors allegedly involved in a June home invasion in which a teen boy died.
Brianna Patrick, 16, is charged with murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary — all with firearm specifications.
Patrick is accused of taking part in a June 10 robbery in which a teenager was shot and killed. She, along with five others, reportedly drove to 17-year-old Jayden Halpern’s residence on West Lane Avenue before attempting to lure him outside to rob the home. When that failed, two males allegedly attempted to force their way into the home, where Halpern was believed to have a large number of guns and marijuana.
Lima Police Detective Steve Stechschulte said Patrick, who was 15 at the time, and five others met up at the home of Halpern at the suggestion of Bryanna Houston, 17, who thought the group could steal marijuana and potentially weapons from the teen. He said all three of the girls attempted to lure Halpern out of the house multiple times so the others could rob the house, but when that failed, the entire group eventually approached the residence.
Stechschulte said the boys forced their way into the house, with one of them carrying an air “long gun” or assault rifle and the others carrying handguns which may or may not have been real — they were never recovered. When David Halpern, Jayden’s father, saw the long gun, he fired one shot, but his son stepped in front of the bullet and was hit. The boy stumbled back to his bedroom, where he collapsed on his bed and died.
Stechschulte said after an interview with Patrick that she said she believed the guns involved to be real and that she knew why they went to Halpern’s house. He said that while Patrick did not herself have a weapon, she was “complicit because she went up there (to Halpern’s house) knowing what they were attempting to do.”
Patrick’s lawyer, Robert Grzybowski, said there is no evidence that Patrick had a weapon and so did not cause Halpern’s death.
But Assistant Allen County Prosecutor Josh Carp said because Patrick knew what was planned and continued with the group, she is complicit in the offense, meaning she could be found guilty or delinquent as if she did have a weapon.
Kohlrieser ordered Patrick to undergo a mental health examination to determine her amenability to being rehabilitated in the juvenile justice system. An amenability hearing will be scheduled following the evaluation.
Patrick will remain in juvenile detention until it is ordered otherwise.
