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Home | The brat files | Chill-out zone | Who cares? | From adversity to adventure | Find out more
Age: 16
Ed, who lives in Banbury, has an older brother and sister. Relations are not good. He has always argued with them and has stolen from them both as well as stealing a laptop computer from his mother, Jane. Even though has gone seriously beyond anyone's control, he has always kept up his interest in basketball.
'I lie, I steal, I cheat. I get aggravated really easily and I've got a drug problem. I like people chasing me, whether it's the police or anyone else, I just like a chase off someone. It is just fun to run away from people and get your adrenalin buzzing.'
On two occasions he's had to be found and brought home by the police. To stop his family falling apart he has had to move out of his family home.
Jane says: 'When Ed was born my mum looked into the cot and said, "That one is gong to be an archbishop or an arch criminal" He can be really lovely to his brother and sister and then walk out with their Walkmans, CDs, mobile phones. However much money you make available to him, however much his clothes allowance is, it's never going to be enough.'
'I've broken into my little sister's cash safe box. I've taken credit cards off my brother and rinsed all the money out of his bank account. It's all about the dope, cigarettes and the money. If I had one wish it would be to have a happy family.'
She adds: 'When I threw him out I told him, "I've got to throw you out, you are not living here any more. The fact that I am doing this shows you how desperate I am." I've got a comfortable home and I've failed, I've failed my son and he is going to end up in the gutter. That's how desperate I am. To admit all that is pretty horrible.'
Ed has not done so well. He went back to his old ways more or less as soon as he got back to England.
Things started going wrong for Ed when his father died eight years ago. He was persuaded to go to Turn-About because he was, 'given a choice of going to the camp and the promise of being able to live at home again', his mother Jane says.
'The camp made some difference at first, but Ed started taking drugs again after just two weeks at home,' Jane adds. 'He has unresolved bereavement issues, low self-esteem and he has made a poor choice of friends.'
Ed went back to the camp in Utah.
Think you know better? Are you a teenager and think you can sort out other people's parents? Get a word in edgeways on the forum.
See also: Alex, Josh, Joe, Xanthe, Jenni and Jemma
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