It is time for the Daviess County court system and Daviess County Prosecutor’s Office to act in the best interest of the local public and release the charges and any other pertinent information regarding the 12-year-old boy who took a loaded gun to school at North Daviess on April 11.

The Times-Herald has had a copy of the boy’s detention order, which includes his name, since May 7. The detention order was released by Southwest Indiana Youth Village, which finally complied to Indiana law after the newspaper was put in touch with the facility’s attorney. Incarcerations in Indiana, cannot be secret. That’s the law, and Southwest officials finally agreed the newspaper was correct in its interpretation of the law.

Juvenile records can be sealed legally under court order, like those of the 12-year-old, which was done so by former Circuit Court Judge Robert Arthur. However, we believe the charges and details surrounding the case should be made public.

The newspaper learned of the boy’s name three weeks ago and decided against publishing it to help protect the child’s identity, although his peers and North Daviess parents surely must know who he is.

The boy is still being held at the youth village and the public has the right to know on what charges he is being detained.

Vanderbugh County officials released detailed information regarding a 10-year-old who took a loaded gun to school on May 9. He pointed it at another student while another child urged him to fire it. Juvenile court documents in the case have been released and published by the Evansville Courier and Press.

Daviess County officials must believe our public doesn’t have a right to know what’s going on in our local communities.