That little &*(^ NEEDS his ass whooped. I say, let grandma do it! "Too young" for juvie? I don't think so. I think he needs to taste what his life will be like if he doesn't straighten up in a hurry.
This kid's broken and really needs some help - it's good that they are going ahead with charges to get him in the system where he HAS to get help. This is a mess, is what it is.
There have been times where I have charged someone that I might otherwise have let go, for that very reason - the family couldn't get them to cooperate with assessments and therapy, but we knew a judge COULD.