~Three suspects released Tuesday and a fourth on Wednesday; Prosecutor’s Office remains silent.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- The four minors whose parents turned them in to police in connection with the break-ins and vandalism at seven Festival Village booths have been released back into the custody of their parents.
Three of the minors were released on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, and the fourth on Wednesday, September 16.
The parents took their children to the police station after SMN News published surveillance footage of the break-ins, which circulated on social media. The footage reportedly showed the minors breaking into and vandalizing booths at Festival Village on Soualiga Road during the early morning hours of Sunday, September 13.
The parents recognized their children in the footage and voluntarily turned them over to police so that they could answer for their alleged involvement.
However, after questioning and detention, all four minors were released back into parental custody.
So far, the Prosecutor’s Office has not issued any information concerning their release. It has not explained whether conditions were imposed, whether charges will follow, or what further action will be taken against the minors accused of causing havoc in the community through vandalism.
It is also unclear whether the minors will be required to participate in counseling, community service, rehabilitation, or any structured intervention aimed at preventing further criminal behavior.
The releases raise serious questions about the capacity of the Miss Lalie Center and Sint Maarten’s wider juvenile-justice system. It remains unknown whether space was available to accommodate all four minors or whether the decision to release them was connected to capacity limitations, since one was kept in the Police Holding Cells in Philipsburg.
SMN News sought answers from Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling about the number of minors currently held at the Miss Lalie Center, its available capacity and the reform programmes being developed for youths involved in criminal activity.