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VALENCIA COUNTY, N.M. — A New Mexico teen was kicked out of his air-conditioned home and into a tent in his backyard after his parents discovered he’d stolen from his little sister.
And while the harsh punishment is raising the eyebrows of critics, the teen in question says he understands why his parents went to the extreme.
According to his mother, Adam Boggus, 16, has been stealing since he was in kindergarten.
"If he didn't get something he wanted because he was grounded, he would get up late at night and just go take it," Andrea Boggus told People. "Over the years, he's done that again and again. You can't do that in life.”
The Bogguses reached their breaking point last month when they discovered Adam had poached his sister’s iPod. So they bought him a tent, instructed him to find a spot to put it together and told him he’d be spending his days living there until he’d read five books and completed reports on each one, People reports.
“We decided to do what we could to put a stop to this now,” Andrea Boggus said. “If we don't, what happens when he's on his own and doesn't make enough to have that new car or new bike? What then?”
Adam has been living in his tent for the past month, spending his summer working on the book reports that will get him back into his air-conditioned bedroom. He’s allowed to come inside for meals and bathroom breaks, and his parents let him sleep in his bedroom since there are snakes and tarantulas living in their yard.
New Mexico teen forced to live in tent after stealing little sister's iPod https://t.co/AuuENoGfAdpic.twitter.com/qjHHIH1lwi
— People Magazine (@people) June 24, 2016
"If I get thirsty, I drink water from the hose, and if it's really hot, I can hose myself down, but I've only had to do that twice," Adam told People.
Several neighbors feel the Bogguses have gone too far — police have received multiple calls about the situation, particularly on days where temperatures hit 100 degrees and above.
While deputies have checked up on Adam, they’ve determined he’s not in any real danger.
“His parents care enough about him to take some action rather than let this go on and have him end up in a prison someday." - Deputy Gary Hall
"I see nothing wrong with what they're doing,” Valencia County Chief Sheriff Deputy Gary Hall told People. “His parents care enough about him to take some action rather than let this go on and have him end up in a prison someday."
Even Adam seems to be siding with his parents.
"Sure, I'd rather be in my room with the air conditioning,” he told People. “But I understand why my parents are doing this. I won't steal again because I don't want this to ever happen again."
While there’s been plenty of negative feedback, Adam’s father, Jacob Boggus, says he and his wife have received an overwhelming amount of support for what they’re trying to do for their son.
“These days, it doesn't seem like accountability is a high priority for children in this country. So in our family, we're changing that," he told People. "Adam will be a better person for this once it's over. There are a lot of parents who cut ties with their kids or find somebody else to take their responsibilities on when things go wrong. But we love our son."
Adam has finished three books so far and is close to completing his write-ups on each of them. He said he’s working hard to earn back his parents’ trust and hopes to never land himself in the tent again.
"I know I screwed up, so I don't want people coming down on my parents about this,” he told People. “I know that they love me. They're not trying to abuse me in any way. They're only trying to show me that what I did was wrong."
