A Toddler's Crime

The court assembled in the sandpit. The jury sat on the boards encasing the sand, the barristers on overturned buckets. The accused sat before the judge without a seat.

"Calling the first witness, Thomas Brody to the stand!" the judge called, and the court fell silent.

The boy walked forward towards the stand – a shovel stuck in the sand – as best he could on the uneven ground.

"What have you to say on the crimes of the accused?"

The boy's cheeks were streaked with tears and his lip wobbled as he declared "She stole my truck!"

A gasp went up from the jury and some shook their heads.

"Na ah! I never!" cried the accused, making the jury titter and mutter.

"Silence in the court!"

The accused glared at the judge, eyes blazing.

"Is there any evidence to these claims?" asked the judge, looking at both lawyers.

"Yes, your honour." One of the barristers stood up, colouring book in hand. "Yesterday, at the water fountain, the accused, Jessie Hale was seen lurking at the third tap, the one that leaks."

The jury muttered, everyone knew that that certain tap didn't actually run, it only dripped.

"When Mark Jackson came to get a drink, Jessie Hale came up behind him and..." The barrister turned towards the jury, "Stole the truck!"

The jury gasped in horror, not believing that anyone was capable of committing such a heinous crime.

"Your honour! Objection! Jessie Hale was not on these premises yesterday."

"Do you have evidence to support this claim?"

"Yes, your honour, Jessie Hale's sister Joanna."

A girl replaced the crying boy, her blonde hair pulled into a pair of bobbing pigtails.

"Your sister was on the premises on the day of the crime, yes?" asked one barrister.

"Objection, he's leading the witness!"

The barrister sighed. "Joanna Hale, was your sister on these premises yesterday?"

"No."

The court proceedings travelled slowly, with periods of sobbing, arguments and uncontrollable horror.

"Calling Jessie Hale to the stand!" the judge rubbed his eyes as he said this. They'd had a break for naptime but he was still tired. Jessie Hale stood up unsteadily, making her way towards the stand. Before she had even reached to the shovel, she was talking.

"They're all lyin' I swear it. I didn't steal the truck, I swear! I wasn't even here!"

"Silence!" called the judge.

"No!" the jury gasped and leaned forward like dogs at the end of their leashes. "I don't care what anyone says, I'm no thief! I don't even like playing with trucks! I like playing soccer and dress-up and make believe! Why would I want some musty old truck?!"

The court muttered looking at each other. Could they really believe this girl, with all the evidence that they had been given?

"Jessie Hale, were you, or were you not at the water fountain at the time of the crime?"

"I was."

"Then why does your sister claim that you were not on the premises?"

"Because I came in late. I didn't get signed in because mum left me at the door."

The barrister frowned mirroring the expression of most of the jury. "You were on the premises of the day of the crime, and at the time of the crime, were at the water fountain where the truck was stolen?"

"Yes."

"Did you steal the truck?"

"No, he knocked it off, someone must've picked it up! How many kids are in this centre? It could have been anyone! Ask the jury, it could have been one of them!"

The jury gasped, they were the most trustworthy members of the Child Care Centre, how dare someone accuse them of something so terrible!

"She's obviously directing blame away from herself!" cried Thomas Brody jumping up from beside his lawyer.

"Sit down, Mr Brody!" cried the judge. Brody sat down without complaint, but it took a few moments for the jury to do the same.

The judge was about to say something else, but a voice cut him off, echoing across the lawn;

"Now what's this?"

Everyone turned. The judge, the jury, the lawyers, even the sulking Thomas Brody.

"My truck!" the boy cried out jumping to his feet. "My truck! My Truck! MY TRUCK!" he cried jumping up and down on the spot.

"Now Mr Brody, what was your truck doing in the dress-up box?"

The court froze and almost simultaneously, turned towards where Jessie Hale was standing. If their looks could have turned someone to ice, Jessie Hale would have been a glacier.

"We regroup at dawn," said the judge.

The court dispersed.