Carolina's Trouble

Friday, April 25th, Carolina asked to go with her friends: April, Melanie, Abie, and Phoung to the mall before meeting our family at the YMCA. I was going to call her when we were on our way and April would drive her to the YMCA to meet us. We have soccer practice at 5pm, so we were expecting to meet about 6pm. At 445pm, I called Carolina to let her know that we were considering cancelling soccer practice (it was very cold and windy this day) and we may go to the YMCA sooner. She said she was at Target and to just call and let her know when we're ready. So, we ended up holding soccer practice and David and the kids were home at 536pm and we packed up and got ready. I started calling Carolina to let her know we were headed to the YMCA, I called a couple times but I got no answer, I thought maybe she was already there and the phone was in her locker). Finally at 6pm we were at the YMCA and I called her again and this time I left a voicemail. She called me back a couple minutes later. She was crying, saying that they were out at Lake Afton and she was driving April's car and they got pulled over. I scolded her, asked her lots of questions and told her to call me when it was over and come straight to the YMCA and told her she was severely grounded! I called her several times over the next little while to find out what was happening and where she was, etc. Once at the YMCA, we had a long talk in the hallway while David got the kids dressed and ready to go. Carolina's version of what happened is that: April was teaching her how to drive-they were on the wrong side of the road, and they may have been going a couple miles over the speed limit. Once we returned home, I had her immediately call her mother. The punishment I gave at the time: I felt since she loses her judgement when with her friends, she's no longer allowed to be unsupervised with her friends. We can meet friends at the YMCA, they can come here to the house, etc. I pulled her off the soccer team, since I can't commit to loading up the kids and picking her up everyday at 530pm, or 10pm on game nights, etc. and I can't trust her to be alone with friends. I also said I was going to call April's parents.Friday, it was late by the time we got home, got kids to bed, scolded Carol more, had her talk to her parents, etc. so we went to bed. Saturday we were busy and Sunday we went to church. April's mother (Laurie) called twice while I was at church, so I called her back. She was very upset. She hadn't heard from me, so she had called another host mother to get my phone number and was calling me. She felt very strongly that there was more to the story than the girls were saying. She asked if they were riding on the hood or roof. I asked Carolina while on the phone with Laurie, and Carolina told me no. I called April's dad (Gregory-who went to the scene and spoke with the officer and who had given April permission to drive his car out there). He told me that the officer told him there were several violations, but didn't know what the violations were, that the officer didn't want to get the girls in trouble and since they had no records, he would allow them to be let off with a warning. I explained to him my punishment of severe groundation and he said he understood.Monday at 230pm, I got another call from Laurie. She had called Lake Afton to find out what really happened and as she had suspected, there was more to the story. She said Carolina lied straight to my face. I said, let me call Lake Afton and hear the details for myself. I spoke with the Lake Afton Security-Corky. He proceeded to tell me: Carolina was driving 25mph (speed limit was 20mph) while April was laying on the roof of the car. There was also 3 other girls in the car (one in front and 2 in back). When the park ranger approached the girls head on, Carolina slowed down and then jumped in the back seat with the car still in gear and rolling. April got into the car and the emergency brake was thrown. The park ranger called the Sheriff-Officer Page. I called Laurie back to tell her that I was sorry and that I had spoken with the park ranger. She was very angry and wanted my address to come over and confront Carolina. She also wanted to contact the other 3 girls' host parents. I called Connie (our exchange program regional director) in confidence to find out what to do and how to handle the situation and the other hysterical parent I had been dealing with. At this time Connie, had told me that the other host parent had contacted her on Sunday and that she was going to confront Carolina on Sunday, but hadn't gotten a chance too. At the time I was speaking with Connie, Connie was speakng with Jodi (the Eastern U.S. director) and the chain of events that is the possible dismissal from the program for Carolina was started.345pm Monday, Carolina arrived home from school. I had her sit down and I proceeded to ask her what happened on Friday. She reluctantly told me that she was driving and that April was on top of the car. She asked if I already knew and I said yes. Gregory (April's step father) and the other girls had conspired to down play the events that took place, in fear that I would send her home. Gregory (April's step father) told the girls it would be better to hide the truth. After I spoke with Carolina, I had her call her mother to tell her everything and I called Connie back to tell her about my conversation with Carolina.I spoke with Officer Page at 445pm on Monday. Officer Page told me that he scolded the girls and explained all the things that could have happened and what would happen if he writes them tickets. He said that April's step father (Gregory) arrived and scolded them. The Sheriff felt that the girls were very honest with him and remorseful and he proceeded to let them go. He said he felt on a scale of 1-10 that it was only a 3.Tuesday at 130pm, I was informed that Carolina will be allowed to stay on the program and finish. She will have to abide by my punishment and do 15 hours of community service and write an essay that Face the World can share with future students that may advise them and disuade them doing this (breaking the law and lying) to thier families.
What a roller coaster weekend. We are all so emotionally and physically drained. But, we are so relieved that Carol gets to finish her last 3 weeks of school. We are also so glad that it's over!