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'Don’t blame the movies' experts say amid public speculation over toddler's murder
The police have said that the teenaged girl who reportedly confessed to the crime liked watching horror movies, but experts point out that complex personal issues could be motivational factors.
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(Stock image of a crime scene) (Shutterstock.com/Prath)
T
he recent murder of a toddler that was allegedly committed by a teenaged neighbor has sparked public speculation as to whether horror movies had played a part in the teen's behavior, but experts advise caution over the theory.
Watching movies or TV shows that feature murder, violence or other forms of abuse would not cause children to commit acts of juvenile delinquency, said Retno Listyarti of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI). She cautioned, however, that they could attempt to imitate scenes showing such acts without parental supervision.
“Movies or TV shows should not be solely blamed when children commit juvenile delinquency, because parents can deter them from [such acts] by monitoring their viewing [habits],” Retno told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
She also pointed out that parents should teach their children moral values to help them distinguish between good and bad examples on the screen, as well as between reality and fiction.
Her comment comes in the wake of an incident last week in Sawah Besar, Central Jakarta, that shocked local residents.
The incident involved a 15-year-old junior high school student who allegedly drowned the 5-year-old girl of a neighboring family while the girl was playing at her house, and then kept the girl's body inside her closet before turning herself in to police the next day.
Reports have been mixed as to whether the female teen allegedly choked or drowned the girl to death.
