WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO
A Hazelwood East High School student remains in a critical condition after having her head repeatedly slammed into concrete pavement, and the state’s attorney general has called for her alleged attacker to be tried as an adult.
The female suspect, 15, is being held by St Louis County Family Court on assault charges, but that could change if the case escalates out of juvenile court.
The White student, named Kailee, can be seen being punched multiple times and thrown to the ground by a Black female who then slams her skull into the ground.
As other mainly Black students keep fighting Kailee can be seen lying unconscious on the street and having what appears to be a seizure. No-one comes to her aid before the video ends.
Missouri Attorney-General Andrew Bailey said the suspect should be brought before the courts as an adult, not a minor.
“This evil and complete disregard for human life has no place in Missouri, or anywhere. I am praying for the victim. The criminal should be charged and tried as an adult. If the victim dies, that offense should rise to a homicide,” he said.
But St Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell said his office had no jurisdiction, and that the matter would remain juvenile unless certified, which was also out of his control.
“This is sickening & so difficult to watch. In Missourr, by law our office has no jurisdiction. This is a Juvenile court matter, unless it is certified…& by law, certification is not our decision either,” he said.
“We pray the victim makes a full recovery. This is just heartbreaking.”
Director of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Saint Louis University Dr Dyan McGuire told KSDK that there was a possibility the case could be escalated.
“For very serious offensives the statue provides for an automatic hearing to see if this child is an appropriate subject of juvenile jurisdiction court or not,” he said.
St Louis County police said the fight did not happen on campus, but at the nearby intersection of Norgate and Claudine drives, police said.
The Hazelwood School District released a statement about the incident saying: “It is a tragedy anytime children are hurt.
“Bullying and fighting in the community is an issue for which we all need to take ownership and work towards a resolution for the sake of our children.
“The Hazelwood School District offers our sincerest condolences to everyone involved and will offer additional emotional support from our support and crisis team to those in need.”
The Hazelwood East High School student body is 96.7% Black, 1.4% White, and 1% Hispanic.
