A.E. Wright Middle School, Calabasas |
CALABASAS -- Sheriff's officials say three boys detained in connection with at least seven attacks on red-haired students at a local middle school could be put in a diversion program rather than face a formal criminal complaint.
Two 12-year-old students and a 13-year-old student at A.E. Wright Middle School were arrested last month and released to the custody of their parents.
The 12-year-olds were booked on suspicion of battery on school property, and the 13-year-old boy was accused of threatening to inflict injury by means of electronic communication, also known as "cyber-bullying," said Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.
The Los Angeles County district attorney's office is still deciding whether to charge the students. The case was presented to a juvenile prosecutor on Monday morning, according to a district attorney spokesperson.
Whitmore says it's possible charges could be dropped, and the boys instead placed in the District Attorney's Juvenile Offender Intervention Network, which deals with nonviolent, first-time juvenile offenders in an out-of-court setting.
As part of the program, the students and their parents agree to acknowledging responsibility for their acts, pay restitution, have good school attendance and perform community service. Parents also agree to attend parenting classes and all families are referred to group counseling. The case would be monitored for a year.
No one was seriously injured in the Nov. 20 attacks at A.E. Wright Middle School, which occurred after a Facebook group announced "Kick a Ginger Day." The group was apparently inspired by an episode of the "South Park" cartoon series.
Some 25 juveniles have been questioned by investigators in connection with the attacks.
The three arrested were among eight male students identified as the possible culprits, according to sheriff's officials.
The first reported victim was a 12-year-old boy in the seventh grade, said sheriff's Lt. Scott Chew of the Malibu-Lost Hills Station.
Investigators say he was kicked and beaten by classmates in two separate incidents.
"He was accosted by seventh and then eighth-graders," said Lt. Richard Erickson of the Los Angeles County sheriff's department.
"He was kicked and hit with fists in various areas of the body."
His injuries were not severe enough to require hospitalization, though detectives said they were pursuing the investigation as a possible assault with a deadly weapon.
Several other students also may have been attacked, Chew said.
The attacks were allegedly inspired by a 2005 episode of the animated TV show "South Park" which focused on prejudice against "gingers," a label given to people with red hair, fair skin, and freckles. (Watch Youtube Video)
Detectives investigated if the assaults were related to "kick a ginger day," which began last year when some young people circulated messages on the Internet urging people to beat up redheads on Nov. 20.
Similar Internet messages were spread on Facebook and other Internet sites this year, said Lt. Rich Erickson, also of the Malibu-Lost Hills Station.
Parents of students at A.E. Wright Middle school have reported that school officials made a public announcement addressing discrimination, and that teachers led classroom discussions on the issue.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the Calabasas sheriff's station at (818) 878-1808.
Two 12-year-old students and a 13-year-old student at A.E. Wright Middle School were arrested last month and released to the custody of their parents.
The 12-year-olds were booked on suspicion of battery on school property, and the 13-year-old boy was accused of threatening to inflict injury by means of electronic communication, also known as "cyber-bullying," said Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.
The Los Angeles County district attorney's office is still deciding whether to charge the students. The case was presented to a juvenile prosecutor on Monday morning, according to a district attorney spokesperson.
Whitmore says it's possible charges could be dropped, and the boys instead placed in the District Attorney's Juvenile Offender Intervention Network, which deals with nonviolent, first-time juvenile offenders in an out-of-court setting.
As part of the program, the students and their parents agree to acknowledging responsibility for their acts, pay restitution, have good school attendance and perform community service. Parents also agree to attend parenting classes and all families are referred to group counseling. The case would be monitored for a year.
No one was seriously injured in the Nov. 20 attacks at A.E. Wright Middle School, which occurred after a Facebook group announced "Kick a Ginger Day." The group was apparently inspired by an episode of the "South Park" cartoon series.
Some 25 juveniles have been questioned by investigators in connection with the attacks.
The three arrested were among eight male students identified as the possible culprits, according to sheriff's officials.
The first reported victim was a 12-year-old boy in the seventh grade, said sheriff's Lt. Scott Chew of the Malibu-Lost Hills Station.
Investigators say he was kicked and beaten by classmates in two separate incidents.
"He was accosted by seventh and then eighth-graders," said Lt. Richard Erickson of the Los Angeles County sheriff's department.
"He was kicked and hit with fists in various areas of the body."
His injuries were not severe enough to require hospitalization, though detectives said they were pursuing the investigation as a possible assault with a deadly weapon.
Several other students also may have been attacked, Chew said.
The attacks were allegedly inspired by a 2005 episode of the animated TV show "South Park" which focused on prejudice against "gingers," a label given to people with red hair, fair skin, and freckles. (Watch Youtube Video)
Detectives investigated if the assaults were related to "kick a ginger day," which began last year when some young people circulated messages on the Internet urging people to beat up redheads on Nov. 20.
Similar Internet messages were spread on Facebook and other Internet sites this year, said Lt. Rich Erickson, also of the Malibu-Lost Hills Station.
Parents of students at A.E. Wright Middle school have reported that school officials made a public announcement addressing discrimination, and that teachers led classroom discussions on the issue.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the Calabasas sheriff's station at (818) 878-1808.
