Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina Whethers told local media that her office is seeing a sharp increase in serious cases involving children. In September 2025 the office had about 50 open juvenile cases; by August 2026 that number had grown to roughly 62, a rise of 24 percent.

More children, harsher charges

Whethers said 22 children have already been transferred to her office for prosecution as adults this year. She stressed that the number is not a metric of success. “We don’t want 22 more children in our courtroom as of 2026, and we’re not even done yet,” she said.

At least four teenagers have faced murder charges in the past month, and a recent shooting left 11‑year‑old Cristian Oliva Calderon dead after a 14‑year‑old and a 17‑year‑old were arrested.

Prevention over punishment

Whethers argued that simply increasing incarceration will not solve the problem. “We all know that we can’t out‑prison this situation,” she said. “What is more complicated is, what can we do to prevent it?”

She outlined three pillars for a prevention strategy:

• Removing firearms from the streets and keeping them out of the hands of minors.
• Holding adults accountable when they endanger or exploit children.
• Expanding access to mental‑health care for young people.

“That is something that we can no longer ignore,” Whethers added, emphasizing the growing mental‑health needs of children in the county.

Building alternatives

The prosecutor also called for more programs that give young defendants a chance to rebuild their lives after serving any sentence. “We don’t have the policies, programs, and opportunities in place for these young people to thrive before they end up in court,” she said.

Whethers is urging Kentucky lawmakers to strengthen statutes that hold adults responsible for putting children in danger or involving them in illegal activity. She framed the rising number of children affected by violence as a warning sign, not a new normal.

“It’s never normal to lose an 11‑year‑old child or someone at the bus stop, or to have a child shoot another child and kill them,” Whethers said.

Local officials and community leaders have expressed support for the prosecutor’s call to action, noting that a coordinated effort between law‑enforcement, schools, faith groups, and families is essential to protect the county’s youth.

Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.