VAN NUYS : 3 Youths Detained in School Vandalism

Three children were detained on suspicion of vandalizing Erwin Street Elementary School in Van Nuys, Los Angeles Unified School District officials said Wednesday.

Two Erwin students--a 6-year-old girl and her 12-year-old brother--and a 13-year-old boy who attends Madison Junior High School were detained Tuesday by school district police, said Pat Spencer, spokesman for school district.

“We detained three kids Tuesday afternoon and then released them to the custody of their parents,” he said. Their parents agreed to turn the three children over to Los Angeles police on Friday morning at the Van Nuys Division station, Spencer said. It was not clear what charges the children might face, he said.

Teachers and students discovered the vandalism in four Erwin classrooms when they arrived Monday morning. The vandalism consisted mainly of graffiti on walls, windows and chalkboards. It included a swastika and several possible gang tags. Yellow and purple paint was poured onto the keyboard of a piano in one classroom.