SPRINGDALE, Md. — In light of multiple violent and even deadly incidents involving young people in Prince George's County recently, the state's attorney and county executive called a meeting with students Tuesday to "listen" to what they need to feel safe.
The leaders walked away with direct message for parents.
"They are losing their classmates," said State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy after the meeting at Charles Herbert Flowers High School. "That's traumatic."
Students from Flowers High were joined in the face-to-face conversation by students from Duval High School, where last month 16 year-old student Jayda Medrano Moore was shot and killed while walking home from school.
"The most profound and common statement we heard was about family," said County Executive Angela Alsobrooks after meeting with the students, many of whom she said have been either directly affected by violence or know someone who has.
Alsobrooks said many students talked about their lives at home.
"Very sad to hear the number of students who said, 'We have parents and family do not listen to us, who do not know us,'" she said adding students said parents are too distracted, "to give us what we need."
Tiffani Evans is a parent hoping to help family bridge that gap with their kids before they know a pain like hers. She lost her 8-year-old son to gun violence in 2021.
She joined county leaders in Tuesday’s meeting.
"It was a turn of my heart…to hear of the lack of accountability from parents just not even telling their kids they love them," she said after meeting with students.
"I’m big on accountability." said Evans. "I feel like now we got to hold these parents accountable."
"We can’t keep saying, 'these kids this and these kids that' and not being here to help them," she said. "The pandemic really messed them up. They expressed that today. They’re dealing with depression…not understanding what they’re supposed to do in life."
Evans added the parents need help, too. Specifically with mental health.
That’s something the county executive said she is committed to putting more resources toward.
She and the state’s attorney said they are also committed to more face-to-face, hard conversations with kids.
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