Halloween Law In Virginia Limits Teenage Trick-Or-Treating

Believe it or not, at one time if you're trick-or-treating over the age of 14 in a town in Virginia, you could have been charged with a crime and faced some jail time!

The internet is exploding with outrage after the city of Chesapeake revealed a decade-old city ordinance indicating that anyone caught in a Halloween costume with a bag full of candy over the age of 14 could potentially be arrested and charged with a crime.  However, according to an article published in USA Today, public outcry caused the city to swiftly reexamine the old law and make some revisions.

After the review, the new law "enacts a maximum trick-or-treating age of 14 years old and does not allow for possible jail time. Teens in the city could still face a Class 4 misdemeanor and a fine under the law."  The USA Today article indicates the Chesapeake police department told the citizens that they have never enforced this law.  The law was merely established to prohibit teenagers from stealing Halloween decorations or smashing pumpkins.

Teenagers are allowed to celebrate the holiday with their younger siblings.  In the end, most people would agree it's up to the parents to decide whether or not their child is old enough to participate in this Halloween celebration.

Source: USA Today