Teens Accused of Assaulting a Family at Home

Four Woodbridge teenagers have been charged with attacking a family in their Woodbridge home, causing minor injuries, Prince William County police said yesterday.

The teenagers, ages 14 to 17, were charged with assault by mob and conspiracy to assault in the Monday night attack, police said. The attack was arranged and carried out by a 15-year-old girl in retaliation for a fight with a 13-year-old boy earlier that day in the same home, they said. Police were not contacted about the first altercation.

The girl returned to the home in the 1600 block of Carter Lane in Woodbridge with three male friends about 11:20 p.m., police said.

The teens, who did not have weapons, entered the house and began attacking the 13-year-old boy, police said. When his parents came to his aid, they were also beaten, police said.

The most serious of the injuries was a black eye to the mother. Police said that the others had minor injuries on their faces, heads, backs and legs.

"The results are bad, because four juveniles went to jail for something simple, something that can be resolved by discussing the previous altercation or disagreement that they had," said Erika Hernandez, a Prince William police spokeswoman.

Hernandez said the county offers classes for teenagers and their parents on ways to resolve conflict without resorting to violence.

All four teenagers, who attend public schools in Prince William, were being held at the juvenile detention center, and police said they will not charge the 17-year-old as an adult.