MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. – The story of a 12-year-old accused serial thief, who police say has stolen luxury cars and e-scooters in Maryland has been generating lots of discussion, especially online.  

What can be done to stop the boy and get him help and what about the parent’s responsibility? 

One single mom who also lives in Maryland spoke to FOX 5 Wednesday, describing the struggles she’s faced with her own child. 

Christine Taylor says she’s exhausted and frustrated because she’s been going through almost the exact same thing with her young son.

“My biggest fear is getting a phone call or a police coming saying he’s dead. That’s my biggest fear. He clearly knows this because he sitting right here,” Taylor said.

Taylor is the mother of a 13-year-old boy who’s been getting in trouble for a number of years now.

How a 12-year-old has evaded arrest after string of car thefts in Montgomery County

“It started off with minor stuff like kicking trash cans, stealing packages from people’s doors, stealing from stores to stealing cars and crashing them,” Taylor said.

She says her son’s case has been referred to Maryland’s Department of Juvenile Services but nothing’s ever come of it.

“And the officer actually said this in front of him: unless he murders somebody there’s nothing they can do about it,” Taylor said. “That was when I noticed that he went downhill with his crimes.”

She says she’s been watching FOX 5’s coverage of the 12-year-old suspected serial car and scooter thief has touched a nerve. That young suspect is accused of more than a dozen thefts in Montgomery County and College Park.

“I do believe for some of these crimes that are being committed there does need to be some sort of jail time for them,” Taylor said. “I’m not saying I want my son to be in jail but there’s not going to be a lesson learned from it and it’s just going to get worse and worse as these kids get older. The crimes are going to get worse. I’ve seen it myself with my son.”

12-year-old accused of Maryland car dealership break-ins released to parents, strikes again: police

Taylor says she’s also been investigated for neglect.

“I actually requested for it to go to court,” she told FOX 5. “I thought if it went to court I could get proper help for him.”

Taylor says there’s a reason her 13-year-old was sitting at home at 1 p.m. on a school day.

“There’s no proper placement for him because of his disabilities and behavior. A lot of schools have been declining him saying they can’t meet his needs,” Taylor said. “I’ve had multiple IEP meetings with the Board of Education – actually have one coming up on Friday. He’s actually attended school in the past year three days. That’s it. So that also is concerning because it gives him more free time to commit crimes.”

As for the 12-year-old suspected serial car thief, he actually lives in D.C., so that complicates the situation for him and his mother in terms of getting services for the crimes he’s committed in Maryland. 

FOX 5 asked D.C. police if they had a comment on this case. They said they were not even aware of that boy’s case.

Derik Queen is one of the most highly touted freshman centers set to make his debut in the upcoming season. He was a key member of the undefeated 2023-24 Montverde team, where he played alongside Cooper Flagg, Asa Newell, and Liam McNeeley. Queen is headed to Maryland and should be a crucial piece of the Terrapin offense. He has a different playstyle than stereotypical first-round selections but could be extremely effective at the NBA level.

While many of the top freshmen in the 2025 class have a clear-cut path to the NBA, Queen does not possess the elite athleticism or shooting ability that would paint a clear picture of what his NBA role could be. However, the uniqueness of his game is extremely interesting and should translate if drafted by the right team. The top players taken in most drafts either have star potential or excel in one or two aspects of the game. Queen, on the other hand, has a well-rounded game and the potential to be the best interior playmaker in the 2025 class.

Due to his elite footwork within the paint, Queen has drawn comparisons to Jahlil Okafor. While this is an easy comparison to make, as they both overpower defenders and use interior positioning to get easy looks at the rim, Queen has more tools that should become evident in his first season at Maryland. He is an exceptional passer out of the post and, while only averaging two assists during his senior season, was the most connective piece on his star-studded high school roster. One comparison that might fit him better than Okafor is former Spurs forward Boris Diaw. Both of these big men attack with physicality and display exceptional footwork before finding open teammates once defenses begin crashing into the paint. Diaw was never a franchise-changing talent but was consistently a top-tier role player on excellent teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns. Queen is projected to serve a similar role, so embracing this early in his career could be key to paving a path toward a successful NBA career.

Modern bigs are typically asked to focus on defending the rim, running pick-and-rolls, and spacing the floor. While this is the most common type of up-and-coming big man, it is not the only way for players to find success. Several role-playing bigs around the league excel by being connective pieces who stretch the floor with good vision and passing instincts. Players like Domantas Sabonis and Alperen Şengün use passing as a key to their teams’ offenses, and while they are each potential All-Stars, they initially found success as connective pieces. Queen may not have as high an upside as these two players but could serve a similar role and expand his team’s offensive rhythm.

On the defensive end, Queen relies on physicality. He is not a great vertical athlete but reads opponents well and can be extremely disruptive when hedging screens. He moves his feet well, especially for his size, and is quick to retreat into drop coverage. His shot-blocking is decent but mostly relies on challenging interior shots by contesting vertically and using his strength to bump opponents off their spots.

Queen will be a very interesting prospect to monitor during his freshman season. He is not a surefire one-and-done, but it is easy to imagine a scenario where teams would want to get their hands on him early and focus on his development internally. Whether or not he enters the draft after one season, the upside and versatility of his game create the potential for him to fit into a role with nearly any NBA team and contribute early in his career.

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