Autistic teen lured to fake Snapchat meetup, brutally beaten by group of teens: report
Video captures the violent beating of a 15-year-old boy with autism near a Stawell train station after he was lured through a Snapchat meetup.
Three teenage boys have been charged after a 15-year-old boy with autism was beaten and robbed near a train station in Australia, with video capturing the violent attack as other teenagers watched.
The assault happened Oct. 5 in Stawell, a town in the Australian state of Victoria, after the victim was reportedly lured to the area through a Snapchat meetup arranged with two girls, according to Australian news outlet news.com.au.
Video of the attack shows several teenagers punching and kicking the boy, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly striking him as he attempts to get away. One attacker demands the victim hand over his shoes before the group allows him to leave.
Victoria Police announced Tuesday that detectives had charged three boys, ages 14, 15 and 15, following an investigation into the assault.
Detectives from the Northern Grampians Crime Investigation Unit executed four search warrants in the region before arresting the teenagers, police said.
All three face charges of affray, robbery, recklessly causing injury and theft. They are expected to appear in a children's court at a later date.
Police said a fourth boy who was not present during the search warrants would be interviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.
The victim, who also has epilepsy, suffered soft tissue injuries and possible head injuries, according to news.com.au. His mother told the outlet that doctors were conducting additional scans to determine whether he had bleeding in his brain.
"I’m just lucky to have him alive … he’s having nightmares," she said.
The boy has since returned home but is afraid to go outside, his mother told the outlet.
Superintendent Dan Davison acknowledged the concern the attack had caused in the Stawell community and said police had been working to identify those responsible.
"Since last Monday, local uniform police and detectives have been working tirelessly to identify those involved and hold them to account, and this important work will continue," Davison said in a news release.
"There is never any excuse for violence in our community, and we will not accept it in any form."
"Detectives are continuing to investigate the matter and while we are treating it as an isolated incident, additional patrols will take place across Stawell to ensure our community not only is safe but feels safe," he added.
Police said additional patrols would be deployed throughout Stawell as detectives continued investigating the assault.