By Andrew Withers
The Perspective
Plymouth Canton Educational Park
1st Place
Division 1, News Writing
News Story
Few things reveal the strength and bonds of a community more than times of need and tragedy, such as what occurred Oct. 17 at the home of Salem freshman Roksana “Roxy” Sikorski.
According to The Detroit Free Press, with the encouragement of her 23-year-old boyfriend, Michael Rivera, Sikorski allegedly stabbed her 12-year-old brother in the throat as he slept. It is alleged that Sikorski and Rivera planned to kill her entire family so they could be together; however, the attack was interrupted by her parents, and Sikorski fled her home in her boyfriend’s car. Authorities intercepted the two the next morning at a home on the southwest side of Detroit; the brother continues to recover.
Due to the nature of the crime, legal authorities have chosen to prosecute Sikorski without minority protections. “Bluntly, it is rare for this office to charge a 15-year-old as an adult. However, the alleged facts in this case strongly warrant this decision,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a press release on Oct. 23. “The actions of this defendant are truly haunting.”
“The first step when something like this happens is police involvement,” said Kim Villarosa, Salem principal. “If it’s something that may potentially affect the learning climate here at P-CEP, the police will directly contact the principal of the affected school.” From there, a chain reaction of contact between faculty members allows them to prepare. “After I’ve been contacted by law enforcement, I’ll let a special group of people know the details about the incident. Each school has what’s called a Crisis Team. This is a team of administrators, law enforcement officers, counselors, social workers and psychologists who are equipped to deal with situations like this,” Villarosa said.
While students may be curious and irritated at the lack of information during these events, Villarosa said, “It’s very important not to release any sensitive information early on. Not only do we not want to affect the police investigation, we don’t want to violate anyone’s personal privacy.”
Around the Park and Plymouth-Canton community, many support networks are available for distraught students. “Counselors are trained to provide emotional assistance in whatever way is needed,” said Villarosa. “If the student is in need of additional assistance, plenty of help is available both on and off campus.”
Villarosa added, “We never felt that the student in question was a danger to the student body.”
Nevertheless, Sikorski’s behavior baffled many, even those who knew her.
“It did shock me,” said Madison Rosiewicz, a freshman at Salem and friend of Sikorski’s. “Roxy was always really nice and funny. She was one of those people that made the whole class laugh.”
Plymouth senior Emma Belanger agrees that Sikorski should be tried as an adult. “She wanted to act like an adult and date an older man, and she wanted everyone to accept that, but now that being treated like an adult would result in severe punishment she conveniently does not want to be one.”
Catholic Central senior Ryan Doyle expressed sympathy towards Sikorski, but felt that “the mind of a child would never incline them to stab her own brother in the neck. That’s an adult decision. Murderis an adult action.”
Not all students agreed, however. “She was manipulated by her boyfriend. Her brain is still developing and she can’t be totally blamed for her actions,” said Canton senior Todd Israel. “She needs help, not jail.”
Salem senior Melissa Parent felt similarly. “She obviously has problems and instead of sending her to jail, she needs to see a counselor.”
Other students objected the decision due to Sikorski’s age. “She’s only 15,” said Salem junior Rebecca Grossmann. “She was following the orders of an older man and had multiple problems.”
According to information released by her family to The Free Press, Sikorski did indeed have a troubled background. Her parents adopted her and two siblings from a Polish orphanage 10 years ago, where the children had suffered abuse and malnutrition. Neglect at this stage of life has been known to lead to Reactive Attachment Disorder, a condition marked by a difficulty establishing relationships and developing social skills.
“She was very vulnerable; she has a mental disorder and she needs help,” Laurene Sikorski, Roksana’s mother, told Channel 4 News. “I want to make sure she gets help.”
A number of students interviewed expressed shock regarding the details of the incident. But beyond the gruesome details and the legal controversy, a simple story remains. The story of a community who came together to make it through a dark time, and the story of a girl charged with committing a serious crime and devastating a family.
“We have a very strong bond with our daughter,” Laurene Sikorski told The Free Press. “We’re not disowning her. We’re not going to throw her back.”