Maybe there’s something we don’t know here, but multiple articles (USA and Gannet which can’t be posted) cite the same facts and charge, which imo is ludicrous. Though 4’2” at 16 makes me wonder if there are health issues, 3 miles with 23 pounds isn’t cruelty all of my kids backpacked with more than that before they were teens.
My daughter did 25 lbs for over 5 miles when she was into backpacking with me - and she was only 13.
I would temper my thoughts until I saw what he was made to carry it in.
Back when I was 12 I was subjected to a similar torture. It was called a paper route.
Those Sunday papers are pretty darn heavy.
We are raising a nation of wimps.
I marched 100 miles with 27lb.s over four days in ‘91. ‘Course I didn’t have homework or chores to do at the time.
My 16 yr stepson is required to haul the horse manure buggy (1/3 cubic yard Rubbermaid 2 wheel cart) 1/4 mile to the waste pile. We have 23 horses and it takes about 3 loads to haul it all off.
We also have 2 other piles that are only about 450 feet from the barn but he is not allowed to dump there. Why, you may ask? Because when he dumps the cart he chooses to not throw the freshly dumped pile on top of the large pile, so he just keeps dumping until the whole pen is covered with little wheel barrow piles of crap. he is given the choice to change but never does. We also allow him to haul as big or as small of a load has he wants but he chooses to really heap it on, but again his choice...
Was he made to carry the stone in a backpack, or in his hands? Big difference.
This father sounds like a weak moron. Where was he while his son was developing his video game addiction?