BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Six teenage boys faced a judge Tuesday after police said a student was brutally beaten and slammed to the ground on his head at a park near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month.
All six teens have remained at home since being released from a juvenile detention facility and have not gone back to school following the incident on Dec. 12.
According to arrest warrants, the victim had been in a fight with at least some of the alleged attackers and, because of that, had requested a friend walk with him to the parking lot.
A video posted on social media showed the teen getting tossed in the air and then thrown to the ground by the same group of students.
The video shows the student lying on the ground not moving and unconscious in the lot, which serves as overflow parking for students.
Police told Local 10 News that the male student sustained a skull fracture during the incident and was being treated at a local hospital.
Coral Springs police said the student has since been released and is expected to be OK.
Authorities said the following suspects are facing charges of felony battery, “reflecting the serious nature of their actions.”
- Jahmeer Beauziel, 17, of Coral Springs
- Caleb Hensley, 17, of Parkland
- Sylvester Hicks Jr., 16, of Coral Springs
- Chinua Leefatt, 15, of Coral Springs
- Anthony Casellas, 15, of Coral Springs
- Jordan Thompson, 16, of Coral Springs
According to Coral Springs police, all of the charged attackers attend MSD, save for Leefatt and Casellas, who attend Coral Glades High School.
Staff at both schools identified the teen suspects to police after reviewing the videos.
“The safety of our community and schools remains our top priority,” police said in part in a news release last month. “This continues to be an ongoing investigation where additional arrests may be forthcoming. We want to assure the public that such behavior will not be tolerated.”
Police said two officers were patrolling the area when the attack occurred.
“Our detectives have worked tirelessly around the clock, along with our law enforcement partners including the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the Broward County State Attorney’s Office, to swiftly identify and apprehend the individuals involved,” police said in a statement last month. “The safety of our community and schools remains our top priority.”
Police told Local 10 News in December that they have around 50 officers on a daily basis who are assigned to patrol areas around schools during dismissal. There were two patrol officers around North Community Park during dismissal at the time of the attack, according to authorities.
All six teens will remain on home detention as prosecutors continue to review the evidence in the case, including the video of the incident.
The teens are expected to return to court in February, but an exact date has not been announced.
In Florida, felony battery is a third-degree felony with a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.