Three boys have been charged in connection with the beating and robbery of a 15-year-old boy near a train station in Stawell, a town in the Australian state of Victoria. The attack took place Oct. 5, according to the supplied report, and was recorded on video as other teenagers watched.
Victoria Police said detectives charged one 14-year-old and two 15-year-olds following an investigation. The boys face charges of affray, robbery, recklessly causing injury and theft. They are expected to appear in a children’s court at a later date; the source does not provide a hearing date.
According to the Australian outlet news.com.au, the victim, who has autism, was reportedly drawn to the area through a Snapchat meetup arranged with two girls. The source does not establish whether those who arranged the meetup were among the people charged.
The video described in the report shows several teenagers punching and kicking the boy, knocking him down and continuing to strike him as he tries to get away. One attacker demands his shoes, the report says, before the group lets him leave.
The victim also has epilepsy and suffered soft tissue injuries and possible head injuries, news.com.au reported. His mother told the outlet that doctors were carrying out further scans to check for bleeding in his brain. She said her son had nightmares. He has returned home but is afraid to go outside, according to her account.
Detectives from the Northern Grampians Crime Investigation Unit carried out four search warrants in the region before arresting the three boys, police said. A fourth boy, who was not present when the warrants were served, is to be interviewed as the investigation continues. Police have not announced charges against him in the supplied material.
Superintendent Dan Davison said local uniformed officers and detectives had worked to identify those involved and would continue their efforts. He also condemned violence and said police were treating the case as an isolated incident. Additional patrols were planned across Stawell, according to police, both as the investigation proceeds and to address community concerns.
The supplied report attributes details about the circumstances of the meetup and the victim’s injuries and recovery to news.com.au, while the charges, search warrants and planned patrols are attributed to Victoria Police. The case remains under investigation, and the charges are allegations; the source reports no court findings.
