JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The attorney of the teen accused of stabbing his own parents on Wednesday is speaking out. He said his client needs psychiatric help and is concerned for his welfare.
The incident happened overnight at the Oak Leaf Plantation Apartments. The Jacksonville Sheriff's office says a 16-year-old boy allegedly stabbed his parents while they were sleeping in their bedroom. They say they suffered non-life threatening injuries to the head and neck.
The boy's parents have since been released from the hospital, but they're concerned over their son. The boy is facing two counts of aggravated battery and is being held at the Duval County Jail.
"They want the best for their son. Everyone's looking now at the signs that were perhaps ignored," said Attorney Wade Rolle.
First Coast News is not identifying the teen because he is a minor. The boy is a student at Paxon School for Advanced Studies and is a standout athlete on a traveling baseball team. His attorney said that's a lot for a child to handle.
"There are immense pressures on students. You cannot judge a child just by what you see on paper. You have to judge that child by the compelling factors and the pressures that he may have faced in trying to be the perfect one," said Rolle.
Rolle said he asked to have the teen monitored closely at the Duval County Jail. He plans to have a psychiatric expert examine the boy next week and said he is doing all he can to have the teen tried as a juvenile.
"I believe there will be a lot of evidence to show that the child was under a lot of pressure and in fact had complained there were issues going on with him mentally that may have not been addressed and led to this unfortunate circumstance," said Rolle.
Rolle said he is preparing to head back to court in the next two weeks.