Teen Arraigned in Attack on Educator
BOSTON, November 4, 2021—A 16-year-old female was arraigned today in the Dorchester Division of the Juvenile Court on one count each of delinquency, to wit: assault and battery on a person over age 60 or disabled resulting in serious bodily injury, assault and battery causing serious bodily injury and assault and battery on a public employee, District Attorney Rachael Rollins said.
At the request of Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Teebagy, Judge Helen Brown-Bryant set bail in the amount of $5,000 and ordered the juvenile to stay away from and have no contact with the victim, stay away from the school, submit to GPS monitoring and remain under home confinement in the event she is to be released on bail.
An investigation by the Boston Police Department is ongoing.
The teen is charged in connection with an assault on two Boston Public Schools employees that occurred outside of the Dr. William W. Henderson K-12 Inclusion School at approximately 2:30 p.m. yesterday. A staff member approached the teen and instructed her to leave the area of the school. The teen allegedly grabbed the victim’s hair and struck her in the head and face repeatedly with a closed fist. The victim fell to the ground and was rendered unconscious for several minutes.
School safety officers detained the teen until the Boston Police arrived and other school personnel tended to the victim until she was transported by Boston EMS to Brigham and Women’s Hospital for treatment of her injuries.
Although the victim of this assault has been publicly identified by other sources, it is the policy of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office not to identify surviving victims or witnesses.
“Everyone deserves to be safe in their workplace, no matter what type of environment their workplace may be. My office has not hesitated to hold accountable those individuals who commit acts of workplace violence, including charging individuals accused of assaulting a professional athlete, a journalist, first responders and others. The juvenile charged with committing this violent attack will be prosecuted,” District Attorney Rollins said. “This frightening attack comes amid a rise in violence and aggression against educators and school employees. Teachers working in Lawrence Public Schools have raised serious concerns about violence in their schools. We have heard the stories of violence and threats against educators as they work to provide safe and healthy schools for children to learn and thrive. Sadly, we’ve also heard about a troubling TikTok challenge that has encouraged assaults on educators nationally, though none have been reported in Boston Public Schools. My parents each spent decades of their careers working in Boston Public Schools. The role of teachers and school employees in shaping the lives of our young people cannot be understated. They deserve our gratitude and respect, as well as the protection of the law. My office is here to support them, to hold offenders accountable and to work in partnership to ensure the wellbeing of our educators, students and communities. We are also working to make sure this juvenile gets the treatment and services she clearly needs based on this violent, unprovoked attack.”
Information on workplace violence, prevention and workers’ rights is availablehere.
Stephanie Hunter is the assigned victim witness advocate. The juvenile is represented by attorney Brian Wiseman.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.