Rape Threat

(Battle Creek, Michigan) Here's a troubling story from middle America.

Battle Creek police are looking for three boys after a woman visiting the grave of her son told officers one of them exposed himself and threatened her with rape.

The woman, 41, told police she had gone to Oak Hill Cemetery and was mourning the loss of her son when she noticed three boys riding their bikes near her. The oldest of the boys, estimated at 12 to 15 years old, stood near another grave and then approached her talking about the death of his father. After about 10 minutes he suggested they have sex.

The woman said she began crying and told the boy to leave her alone. The boy then unzipped his pants and exposed himself and the woman began yelling at him. Then the second boy, about 10 years old, approached and waved a set of handcuffs. The older boy told her "we are going to handcuff you and rape you on your son's grave."

The woman told police she became enraged and began yelling at the boys and running toward the boys, who got on their bikes and rode away. The woman told police the youngest boy, about 5 to 7 years old, didn't have anything to do with the incident.

Granted, it's anecdotal but I would argue that it's reflective of not only a deteriorating American culture but also a lessening of the standards of civilization as a whole.