The seven juveniles charged in connection with alleged attacks on four victims, in four separate incidents at Sayreville War Memorial High School will not be tried as adults, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced Monday.

Sayreville War Memorial High School (Kena Betancur/Getty Images)
Sayreville War Memorial High School (Kena Betancur/Getty Images)
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In a press release, Carey said the seven juvenile defendants charged with sexually assaulting four juvenile victims in Sayreville will have their cases heard before a Family Court judge.

“The conduct in which the juvenile defendants engaged was serious and that is why criminal charges were filed,” Prosecutor Carey said in the release. “The appropriate forum for the resolution of these cases is Middlesex County Family Court. Asking the court to waive these seven juvenile cases to adult court would not best serve the interests of the victims, the community, or the defendants,” Prosecutor Carey said.

The defense attorneys representing the juvenile defendants were informed of the decision today, according to the prosecutor. The juveniles, who range in age from 15 to 17, remain under house arrest and in the custody of their parents.

"Under law, such hearings are closed to the public," the release states.

The students were arrested on Oct. 10. Prosecutors had 30 days to decide whether or not to transfer the case out of Family Court. In general, sentences given through the juvenile court system are less severe.

Charges against three of the juveniles include: aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, conspiracy to commit aggravated criminal sexual contact, criminal restraint, and hazing for engaging in an act of sexual penetration upon one of the juvenile victims. The defendants are also being charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy, aggravated criminal sexual contact, hazing and riot by participating in the attack of the remaining victims.

Authorities say the charges stem from incidents that allegedly took place on various dates between Sept. 19 and 29 of this year and involved one or more of the defendants holding the victims against their will, "while other juvenile defendants improperly touched the juvenile victims in a sexual manner."

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