The Juvenile Court of Lowndes County adjudicated E. C., age 15, delinquent for acts which, if committed by an adult, would have constituted theft by taking motor vehicle, OCGA § 16-8-2. E. C. appeals, contending that the evidence was insufficient to support his adjudication and that the State failed to prove venue. We agree, and the State concedes, that the evidence adduced was insufficient to support the juvenile court’s judgment. Consequently, we reverse the adjudication of delinquency. In considering a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence supporting an adjudication of delinquency, we construe the evidence and every inference from the evidence in favor of the juvenile court’s adjudication to determine if a reasonable finder of fact could have found, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the juvenile committed the acts charged. Punctuation and footnote omitted. In the Interest of M. C. A. , 263 Ga. App. 770 589 SE2d 331 2003. So viewed, the record shows that, on February 6, 2011, a City of Valdosta police officer responded to a complaint of motor vehicle theft at 1646 Fresno Street. The officer spoke to E. C.’s sister, and the officer testified that she told him that E. C. and his twin brother had taken her car without her permission. When the officer arrived at the sister’s house, E. C. and his brother were present, having returned home from a trip to the store in their sister’s car. The brothers admitted to the officer that they took turns driving the car. However, there is no evidence in the record that the brothers admitted that they took the car without permission. The sister did not testify. There is no evidence in the record establishing that 1646 Fresno Street is in either Valdosta or in Lowndes County, and the juvenile court did not take judicial notice of any fact which could be construed as establishing venue.
1. E. C. contends that the State failed to prove the essential element of venue. Venue is a jurisdictional fact that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt. When there is insufficient evidence of venue, the verdict rendered is contrary to law and without sufficient evidence to support it. In order to take judicial notice of any fact, the trial court must first announce its intention to do so on the record, and afford the parties an opportunity to be heard regarding whether judicial notice should be taken. Citations and punctuation omitted. In the Interest of J. A. L. , 284 Ga. App. 220 1 664 SE2d 162 2007.
