I say these criminals are women and ought to be treated as such. I am so sick of hearing 18 and 19 year old monsters referred to as 'teenagers'. If you're old enough to serve in the military, you're old enough to go to prison. If you're capable of this kind of cruelty, you deserve to rot in prison.

Brianna Broitzman and Ashton Larson tortured elderly Alzheimer's victims in a nursing home for more than four months. They spat in residents' mouths, sexually assaulted them, and mocked them until they screamed. There were at least fifteen mentally disabled victims. No one knows whether there were more because the other residents can't communicate.

A total of eight women were allegedly involved in the incidents but there's no record of criminal charges being filed against two of them. Four were charged as juveniles for failing to report the incidents. Broitzman and Larson are charged as adults with assault, abuse of a vulnerable adult by a caregiver, abuse of a vulnerable adult with sexual contact, disorderly conduct and failing to report suspected maltreatment. All are gross misdemeanors.

In my opinion, racking up dozens of gross misdemeanors over a four month time span should count as felonies.

If found guilty, Broitzman and Larson "most likely will face suspended jail sentences and probation, so they'd have the threat of jail hanging over them if they get in more trouble," Freeborn County Attorney Craig Nelson told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis.

Well, that's good to know, Craig. I'm sure that's very comforting for the victims who were trapped with their abusers for four months. Yeah, the threat of jail if they get into more trouble seems a fair and just punishment for people who tortured and sexually assaulted the incapacitated elderly for months and gathered at work and school to "talk and laugh about the incidents."

If these monsters had been male, they would have gone to prison for the multiple crimes they committed against the disabled. I'm all for equality so let's see some. The women are just going to receive probation for committing many, many crimes against sick, elderly patients who were unable to protect themselves and unable to run away. It's a mockery of the legal system.

This is such a horrible miscarriage of justice, that's it's sickening.

Newsvine - Minn. teen girls charged in nursing home abuse

I totally agree with you. Time to change the laws if you can get away with these crimes.