Mom Who Drove Son to Fight at 7-Eleven Sentenced to Jail, Probation

A St. Clair Shores mother who drove her son to a fight was sentenced Tuesday to probation and 90 days in jail on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Sheryl Ann Bowe was found guilty in a bench trial after she drove her son to a fight at the 7-Eleven on Harper and Masonic in September.

"I deeply regret leaving the scene and all that happened. If I could do it over, I would," Bowe said. "I am sorry."

The fight between Bowe's son and his longtime friend, Adam VanSickle, was over the victim's continued friendship with a girl. Bowe was alleged to have driven her son to the convenience store, where he exited the car and began striking the other teen, who was sitting by a sign.

The 14-year-old victim was beaten so badly that he had to be hospitalized for his injuries, which included a broken nose and punctured eardrum. During the fight, Bowe is alleged to have yelled, "Beat his ass."

During the sentencing Judge Mark Fratarcangeli admonished Bowe for her and her son's actions.

"This was nothing more than a mugging," Fratarcangeli said. "There was absolutely no reason for Mrs. Bowe's son to act the way he did."

Bowe's sentence of one year probation and 90 days in jail will be served in 30-day intervals through the summer.

"She has owned up to the fact that she made a terrible decision that day," said defense attorney George Birch.

In addition to the jail time, Bowe is not allowed to use drugs or alcohol. Fratarcangeli said that she needs to be a role model, and up until this point, she has not shown remorse.

"She never acknowledged that the young man did not deserve a beating," he said during the proceedings. "She never once acknowledged there was no excuse what so ever for him getting hurt."

Since the incident, the VanSickle has taken out a personal protection order against his attacker, and the family is looking to make a new start in another state.

"They (Bowe and her family) are saying it is a just a bloody nose ... if they would have seen their son like I saw my son in the trauma center, no way they would they would call it a bloody nose," said the victim's mother, Cheryl Smoke. "He wants this to be over with. He wants to start over."

Walking out of the court, Bowe approached the victim's parents and said, "I am sorry."

Bowe's brother, William Moynes, spoke on her behalf prior to the sentencing. He hoped that she could be forgiven and through the sentence, to make "us all better people and make better decisions in the future."

"I do not condone the events of that day and nor does my sister," said Moynes, who added that he has spoken at length with with her about the incident. "She is very remorseful. She is a good person and we make mistakes."