Child Attacked and Videotaped

[lnytaylor]

Illinois (only U.S. law)? My daughter was attacked by another girl who transferred from her school two days earlier. The girl approached my daughter with about three of her friends yesterday and attacked her. The other girls attend the school that my child attends and one of them video taped the incident and showed it to other students. The incident was not on school grounds but, it has gotten back to her peers and there are witnesses that verify my daughter was attacked. What can be done about this? Do I have the right to inform the school and the police?

 

[Proserpina]

Illinois (only U.S. law)? My daughter was attacked by another girl who transferred from her school two days earlier. The girl approached my daughter with about three of her friends yesterday and attacked her. The other girls attend the school that my child attends and one of them video taped the incident and showed it to other students. The incident was not on school grounds but, it has gotten back to her peers and there are witnesses that verify my daughter was attacked. What can be done about this? Do I have the right to inform the school and the police?

Yes, you have every right to inform the school and the police that your daughter was attacked.

 

[mistoffolees]

Yes, you have every right to inform the school and the police that your daughter was attacked.

Why is it even a question? Obviously, you can (and almost certainly SHOULD) call the police. Notifying the school is a little trickier since it didn't happen on school grounds, but I would do it, anyway.

 

[Indiana Filer]

Why is it even a question? Obviously, you can (and almost certainly SHOULD) call the police. Notifying the school is a little trickier since it didn't happen on school grounds, but I would do it, anyway.

Of course the school probably won't, nor have any obligation to, do anything since it happened off school grounds and had nothing to do with school.

You should tell the school anyway, however, so they can keep an eye on all involved to try to keep anything from happening at school in the future.

And why didn't you take your child to the police immediately after the attack to file a battery affidavit against those who attacked her?

 

[lnytaylor]

I didn't go directly to the police because there was ony one girl who attacked her (eventhough she had about 3 friends with her). At first I considered it to be a fight (which my 13 yr old has never been in) and I may have misjudged the situation but again, I have never been involved in a situation like this before and thought I should involve the school first. There was one who taped it and has been showing other students the video. Eventhough this did not happen at school, this is certainly going to follow her to school on Monday. I am not experienced with this type of thing so I am trying to handle it accordingly (which is why I joined the advice forum). I was under the impression that I would receive some form of guidance from either people that has experienced this or legal advice. I am new to my area and my child is new to her school so, I have to find out what are her rights concerning this and what can be done. Eventhough this did not happen on a school day or on school grounds, there should be some type of penalties through the school because this videotape has been shown to many of the students and we all know that children can be cruel. I am definately going to protect my child in each and EVERY way possible. Any advice will help, thanks......

 

[kanvirh]

This is by no means legal advice, I am here seeking my own. However, I'm just going to throw in my "parental" advice... from one parent to another. First and foremost, you didnt state the ages of the kids involved.

What *I* would do. Even at this point, if you didnt report this initially. What *I* would do is inform the school of the incidents. The school wont discipline because none of this happened on school grounds, even if it involves school children. However, the school should be made aware because they will watch more closely the "goings on" of your daughter and these other perpetrators at school. That is more for your daughter's safety. You should also report this to the police, if for no other reason than the police should at least talk to these other girls, which in a perfect world, would scare the crap out of them. I doubt you'll get any kind of charges and/or compensation, but I would raise holy hell with every person possible. The police should make the parents aware of what their kids did, and they may get punishment there. Starting Monday morning, I would be on the phone with 1) the police and 2) the school.

 

[mistoffolees]

I didn't go directly to the police because there was ony one girl who attacked her (eventhough she had about 3 friends with her). At first I considered it to be a fight (which my 13 yr old has never been in) and I may have misjudged the situation but again, I have never been involved in a situation like this before and thought I should involve the school first. There was one who taped it and has been showing other students the video. Eventhough this did not happen at school, this is certainly going to follow her to school on Monday. I am not experienced with this type of thing so I am trying to handle it accordingly (which is why I joined the advice forum). I was under the impression that I would receive some form of guidance from either people that has experienced this or legal advice. I am new to my area and my child is new to her school so, I have to find out what are her rights concerning this and what can be done. Eventhough this did not happen on a school day or on school grounds, there should be some type of penalties through the school because this videotape has been shown to many of the students and we all know that children can be cruel. I am definately going to protect my child in each and EVERY way possible. Any advice will help, thanks......

You didn't go to the police because only one girl in the gang (that's what it is) attacked your daughter? Do you have any idea how crazy that sounds?

"Well, your honor, 4 people approached me and only one had a knife and started cutting me up, so I didn't think I should report it." or maybe "Your honor, he only shot me in one of my shoulders, so I didn't think I should report it"

Get your butt down to the police station with your daughter and report it. NOW. Your daughter needs to know that:
1. YOU are on her side and will do everything in your power to protect her
and
2. The police are there to protect innocent parties.

If you don't report it, how are the police going to protect your child?

I'm going to suggest something that may or may not be true. The fact that you didn't report it to the police or school suggests to me that you're not sure who really started the fight. If that's the case, you need to find out from your daughter what really happened and start getting a better handle on what's going on in her life - she may be involved in things she shouldn't be involved in.

 

[justalayman]

mistoffolees;2909952]You didn't go to the police because only one girl in the gang (that's what it is) attacked your daughter? Do you have any idea how crazy that sounds?

I'm not so sure. Being an old guy, in my day, when there was simply a school yard fight or something similar off school grounds, one would not call the police necessarily. Sometimes you just write it off to "kids scuffle once in awhile". What I see is the OP considering the situation as such and then, upon further thought, changed their view on the situation.

In today's reality, there is no such thing as a school yard scuffle. With the growth of gangs and more common presence of serious weapons, any fight should be considered to be a serious issue and dealt with as such

Maybe OP is an older guy or gal with my train of thoughts running through their head.

The problem with such thoughts; that failure to treat any given situation seriously enough can result in a serious injury or death. Today's world is simply that much different from my world growing up.

So, with that;

OP, it does sound like the police should be notified.

 

[mistoffolees]

I'm not so sure. Being an old guy, in my day, when there was simply a school yard fight or something similar off school grounds, one would not call the police necessarily. Sometimes you just write it off to "kids scuffle once in awhile". What I see is the OP considering the situation as such and then, upon further thought, changed their view on the situation.

In today's reality, there is no such thing as a school yard scuffle. With the growth of gangs and more common presence of serious weapons, any fight should be considered to be a serious issue and dealt with as such

Maybe OP is an older guy or gal with my train of thoughts running through their head.

The problem with such thoughts; that failure to treat any given situation seriously enough can result in a serious injury or death. Today's world is simply that much different from my world growing up.

So, with that;

OP, it does sound like the police should be notified.

Sorry, but I'm not buying it. I'm well into my 50's with a daughter about the same age as OP's, so that probably classifies me as an older parent of a pre-teen. I would never ignore the circumstances:
- 4 girls confront my daughter
- One of the girls physically attacks my daughter
- They film it and start spreading it around the school

It doesn't take a genius to know that knives and guns are far more likely to be involved these days than they were 40 years ago. We don't live in a Ward and June Cleaver era any more. A gang of girls goes after my daughter and they'd be facing every bit of authority I could throw at them. My daughter is infinitely more important to me than 4 hoodlums.

 

[csi7]

I will add this statement as a reason to report this type of behavior.
By the person sharing the video with the world, it becomes a bullying tactic, and is therefore covered under the bullying policy in the school district.
Report it to the police, report it to the school, and KEEP track of who you contact, how contact is made, when, where, and what happened with each contact.
The video is physical evidence from a witness of the incident.
At this point, it has gone beyond who started it to being an active group topic, and to stop the topic will take parental, administrative, and legal enforcement involvement.
Best wishes.

 

[justalayman]

Sorry, but I'm not buying it. I'm well into my 50's with a daughter about the same age as OP's, so that probably classifies me as an older parent of a pre-teen. I would never ignore the circumstances:
- 4 girls confront my daughter
- One of the girls physically attacks my daughter
- They film it and start spreading it around the school

It doesn't take a genius to know that knives and guns are far more likely to be involved these days than they were 40 years ago. We don't live in a Ward and June Cleaver era any more. A gang of girls goes after my daughter and they'd be facing every bit of authority I could throw at them. My daughter is infinitely more important to me than 4 hoodlums.

I'm in my early-mid 50's. Children 27 and 30. In my children's school years, and maybe it's because I still live in a town that is closer to Beav's neighborhood than the blackboard jungle, but I still saw a difference between a kid's scuffle and a violent attack that justifies the police' involvement. Without knowing the situation surrounding what the OP described, I would be hard pressed to make the call myself.

Now, in a neighboring town, I would go right to the "violent attack that requires police involvement" but in mine, not necessarily so.

 

[Zigner]

Watch the time-line folks. I don't think the video was shown on the school grounds (yet). OP - care to clarify?

 

[HomeGuru]

Watch the time-line folks. I don't think the video was shown on the school grounds (yet). OP - care to clarify?

**A: it does not matter since the OP should have contact the police and school authorities regardless of the location of the incident.

 

[Zigner]

**A: it does not matter since the OP should have contact the police and school authorities regardless of the location of the incident.

Yes, but an earlier post spoke to bullying on school grounds. That (to my understanding) has not occurred (yet.)

That is all

 

[HomeGuru]

Yes, but an earlier post spoke to bullying on school grounds. That (to my understanding) has not occurred (yet.)

That is all

**A: now I'm confused. I better read the post again.