SYRACUSE (AP) -- A Central New York teen has admitted burglarizing a young cancer patient's home while the family was away at a hospital.

In Onondaga County Court Wednesday, 17-year-old Michael Comer of Syracuse pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary. Judge Joseph Fahey says he'll be on probation for a year and must do 500 hours of community service work for a cancer organization. After a year, the judge could remove the felony conviction from his record. Prosecutors wanted a prison sentence. 

Comer was charged with breaking into Catherine Meeker's home on March 26 while she was with her then-13-year-old son Joshua at the hospital where he was getting treatment.

An African ritual knife given to the boy by his uncle, a bicycle and a chair were stolen.

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