Thursday, April 10, 2008

The name of the teenagers who were charged are reportedly

The name of the teenagers who were charged are reportedly:

Mercades Nichols, 16, of Lakeland
Brittini Hardcastle, 17, of Lakeland
April Cooper, 14, of Lakeland
Cara Murphy, 16, of Lakeland
Britney Mayes, 17, of Lakeland
Kayla Hassell, 15, of Mulberry
Zachary Ashley, 17, of Lakeland
Stephen Schumaker, 18, of Lakeland

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Re: Parents of Beaten Teen, Victoria Lindsay, Speak Out

Some may consider this video disturbing. Eight Florida teens were arrested after allegedly filming the beating of another teen and threatening to post the video on the Internet. The victim was treated for a concussion and numerous bruises. (April 7)

Eight teenagers in Lakeland, FL invite Victoria Lindsay over and beat her up for things she allegedly said about them on the internet.

Full story:

Eight teenagers have been arrested in Lakeland, Fla., on charges that they allegedly beat another teen in an "animalistic attack" so they could make a videotape to post on YouTube.

Seven of the teens remained in juvenile detention Tuesday, authorities said. A boy who was charged as an adult has been released on bail.

Victoria Lindsay was attacked on March 30 by six teenage girls when she arrived at a friend's home, authorities said.

One of the girls struck the 16-year-old victim on the head several times and then slammed her head into a wall, knocking her unconscious, according to an arrest report.

Later, according to a clip of the video that was released by the Polk County sheriff's office, the teens can be seen blocking a door and hitting Victoria.

"When I saw my daughter in the emergency room, I didn't even recognize my own daughter," her father Patrick Lindsay, said a recent news conference in front of their Florida home. "I just walked in and held her. I didn't want her to see me weep."

"I've never seen anybody's face disfigured like that."

While the beatings took place more than a week ago, Patrick and Talisa Lindsay said their daughter remains scared for her life.

"She is having nightmares over it," said her mother, during a news conference outside their Florida home. "She has multiple bruises from it, from her head all the way down."

Her parents blamed the Internet for the incident.

"These Web sites are creating a space for criminal activity, beating, fights," Patrick Lindsay said. "MySpace, MTV's 'Jackass,' they are enticing our children and desensitizing out children. Now, if they create the best shock video, they are the heroes. They think it is top dollar."

They described their daughter as a popular, honor-roll student and varsity cheerleader, who was "very well liked."

"She didn't deserve to be beat down like a dog," her father said. "She thought she was going to die."

Click here to watch the interview on TheLedger.com.

"Just the shock of it happening to you and seeing your daughter in a deformity, that was horrific," Talisa Lindsay said. "It's very emotional."

Rubbing his wife's back as she tried to gain her composure, Patrick Lindsay vowed to get justice for their daughter.

"I'm very upset with these Internet sites," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, MySpace is the anti-Christ for children. I'm going to carry this as far as I can."

Sheriff Grady Judd told NBC's "Today" show on Tuesday that the incident was an "absolutely an animalistic attack."

"They lured her into the home for express purpose of filming the attack and posting it on the Internet," he said.

Christina Garcia, mother of one of the defendants, said her daughter had turned the tape over to police.

Parents of Beaten Teen, Victoria Lindsay, Speak Out

Interview with Talisa and Patrick Lindsay,
parents of Victoria Linsay
who was beaten by other teens

Talisa Lindsay and Patrick Lindsay talk to reporters Monday in Lakeland about the March 30 assault on their daughter, Victoria, by a group of teen girls.