The fatal shooting of a 12-year-old Valley Central Middle School student is renewing a push for tougher penalties in child murder cases.<\/p>\n
As News 12 previously reported<\/a>, Jacob Freytes was killed by stray bullet while riding his bike Saturday in The Bronx. A 45-year-old man was arrested<\/a> in connection with the shooting the following day.<\/p>\n MORE: Mother, community mourns 12-year-old boy killed in Bronx shooting<\/a><\/p>\n Assemblyman Brian Maher is now calling on lawmakers to pass the Danny Meyer Act<\/a>, which would require life in prison without the possibility of parole for adults convicted of first or second-degree murder of a child under 13. <\/p>\n The bill is named after 12-year-old Danny Meyer<\/a>, who was fatally stabbed in 1996 while walking to a Little League game in Maybrook. <\/p>\n The suspect, 22-year-old Juan Peinado, had been posing as a minor and going to Valley Central Middle School at the time. He was later convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. <\/p>\n Maher says the legislation would spare families from having to relive their loss through repeated parole hearings.<\/a> He urges lawmakers to pass the bill during the next legislative session.<\/p>\n