Kids investigate mock murder at camp

AUSTIN (KXAN) - It was graduation day Friday at Austin Community College.

Clapping and cheering could be heard down the hallway outside a small classroom on the Eastview campus.

Inside was a small ceremony and some cake for 17 high school students who survived a week long crime scene investigation camp.

You could tell the students weren't ready to go home.

"I've wanted to be a forensic scientist for quite a while since I started watching CSI," said Mollie Holloway.

She and her twin sister, Jenna, will be freshman next year at Hays High School in Kyle. The two have watched every episode of CSI and Law and Order, and thought they knew what to expect.

"It's not like it is on TV," said Jenna.

Instead of sitting back and watching, they were thrown into the middle of a murder mystery. Their mock investigation began on their first day of camp while on a tour of Austin's 911 call center.

"Someone was walking through the Richard Moya Park and they found a body and it was unresponsive and they called 911," said Mollie.

The group went to the park and found a very real looking crime scene complete with authentic looking blood and body parts.

"We think if we try to make something fake then the kids see that and they don't want to be quite as involved in it," said Travis County Deputy Vince Galloway who has helped put on the camp for kids across Central Texas for several years.

The students learned how to mark evidence, take pictures, lift fingerprints, question witnesses and write police reports with a little help from those who do it in real life.

"Every time one of those professionals come out to the scene, the kids have to become that professional and start doing that professional job," said Galloway.

The students also found out what it feels like to be locked up. They toured the Travis County Justice Complex and the Travis County Correctional Complex in Del Valle.

On the last day, they held a mock trial and sat in on an actual aggravated robbery case -- something else that was much different than what they've seen on TV.

"Everything was very calm. To a point where it was actually fairly boring," said 14-year-old Kevin Hernandez.

Even if these teenagers decide criminal justice is not the career for them, the hope is they continue working hard in school to succeed at whatever they put their minds to.

Galloway left them with a few parting words.

"Apply yourself, apply yourself, apply yourself because you guys have got everything that it takes."

The CSI Forensic Camp is one of several free summer camps offered through ACC's Youth Programs. Click here for more information.