Cruel Joke Devastates Teen (Received Prank Call That Father Killed In Iraq)

Bend Bulletin ^ | 02/21/2004 | Lisa Rosetta

[ServesURight]

Brandon Hougham, 14, a freshman at Redmond High School, looks at a photo on his cell phone of him and his father as his mother, Laura Hougham, looks on in the background. In November, the teen got a call from a prankster who told Hougham his father had died in the line of duty.

[Unam Sanctam]

Teenagers can be such jerks.

[ServesURight]

This should be a felony, not a misdeamenor. You don't play around with people's lives like that.

[martin_fierro]

A civil $uit for Intentional Infliction of Emotional Di$tre$$ might get the point across nicely.

[EggsAckley]

YE$!

[NYDave]

"If the youth pleads guilty, he faces 80 hours of community service, a $65 court fine, and he must write an apology..."

This punk should be caned. If I were the young man who received this message, I would organize a group of my friends and go to the "messenger" and give him a blanket party. You throw a blanket over his head and beat him with clubs. I would break his knees and his elbows. With broken elbows, he would need a great deal of assistance in the bathroom for a considerable period of time. This kid got off to easy. $65.00 fine and community service, please. Are the courts afraid of damaging his self-esteem?

[xJones]

How monstrously cruel. But it is heart-warming how close Brandon and his father are.

[Oatka]

"If the youth pleads guilty, he faces 80 hours of community service, a $65 court fine, and he must write an apology . . ."

Hopefully that 80 hours of community service will be at a VA hospital dumping bedpans and getting an education on the price of freedom.

[Dan from Michigan]

I hope that guy gets a professional ass kicking. That's just wrong.

[Dick Vomer]

God willing this guys dad will come home, confront that little weasel and kick his a@#. Finish off the a@# whooping and say..... dead man walking!!!!

[reg45]

His son had received a cruel prank phone call from a Redmond High School senior who has been charged with misdemeanor harassment for the stunt, according to public records.

Ten to one, the perp and his parents are 'rats!

[PAR35]

This punk should be caned.

Perhaps a trip to the Marine recruiter. Marine Basic Training might make a man out of the punk.

[Integrityrocks]

Ohhhhh... I like that idea

[Freedom4US]

Those people have no idea how cruel such activities are. Execution would be perfectly acceptable in my mind for those over 18, say. A year in prison sounds about right for
the younger budding subversives.

[Dianna]

What an awful shame that this boy didn't understand how deaths are notified. A friend of mine, while our husbands were out to sea(routine), actually came home one day to find two men in uniform waiting for her at her home. Luckily, her husband had only sustained an injury but she had spent several minutes assuming their presence meant her husband was dead.

I suspect the kid who called knew how close to dad this boy was. It wasn't a prank. It was done to destroy. Evil little jerk.

[Poohbah]

This punk should be caned

With a Louisville Slugger

[JeeperFreeper]

We have a winner. Look at the parents. Lib Goobers.

[NYDave]

Thanks for the responses, guys. I don't wish to opine about what is going on in Iraq. I am, quite frankly, mixed in my views of this venture. I was very much against the Viet Nam war but fully supportive of the troops. They are us just as they are us in Iraq. I'm glad that Sadaam is gone but I do feel for the families who lose loved ones over there. As far as the punk, who informed the poor young man that his father had died, is concerned, he needs a good wake up call. His parents (or parent, if he is one of those disfunctional types) also need a wake up call. I would fine them heavily. They are responsible for this punk. I would also like to see this punk thrown into a boot camp sort of environment. Also, give this lots of press. This should follow the kid for the rest of his life. What kind of sick mind conceives of telling someone that somebody close to them has died. I can't begin to express my disgust. Be well all.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

The anti war crowd used this tactic due Vietnam and somewhat during the Cold War. I hope they fry in the extra crispy section of hell for it.

[NRA2BFree]

What a horrible thing this young man had to go through because of a foolish prank. I hope the guilty one will pay for doing such a heartless thing. May God Bless and protect his dad and our other soldiers while they serves in the war.