Katie Huss Refused a $59 Swing Bill—Her Daughters Still Faced Criminal Charges
Two sisters, ages 10 and 12, ended up in court after a playground swing broke while they were playing with other children in Springdale, Pennsylvania.
The incident happened May 21 at Veterans Memorial Park, northeast of Pittsburgh. According to WTAE, several children had been twisting the swing’s chains tightly, then releasing them so the riders would spin and become dizzy. It was a familiar playground stunt. This time, one of the chains snapped.
Their mother, Katie Huss, said her daughters told her what happened as soon as she arrived to pick them up. About two weeks later, a Springdale police officer reportedly came to the family’s home with surveillance photographs and a request for payment.
Huss said the photographs showed several children taking part. That led her to question why police were approaching her family about the repair bill. Borough officials later said five juveniles had been identified and that the roughly $295 repair cost was split evenly, leaving each child responsible for about $59.
Three families reportedly paid their portions. Huss refused. She said she wanted evidence that her daughters had intentionally damaged the swing. She also wanted information about when the equipment had last been inspected or repaired.
The dispute then moved into juvenile court. The borough pursued criminal-mischief charges against both girls.
“They were super scared,” Huss told WTAE. “They’re good little girls. They go out, and they play.”
Springdale officials denied telling the family to pay or face criminal charges. Officials said restitution was offered as a way to resolve the matter without continuing juvenile proceedings. But after Huss declined to pay, her daughters still appeared in court, Triblive reported.
During the hearing, a Springdale police officer testified that the children violated a posted rule warning visitors not to twist the swing chains. Borough Solicitor Craig Alexander reportedly argued that people sometimes break rules because they enjoy the thrill.
The judge, however, found a major problem with the case: Criminal mischief requires evidence of criminal intent. The judge determined that the girls’ actions caused the swing to break but found insufficient evidence that they meant to damage it. The children were found not responsible.
Huss said she would have understood a warning or a conversation about proper playground use. She did not expect ordinary childhood misbehavior to lead to criminal charges.
The dispute may not be over. Even after the court ruling, borough officials have said they intend to file a civil complaint to recover the repair costs. Huss said she is “still waiting to find out if they’re going to escalate it further as they promised.” Her response was direct: “I’m not going to give in.”