January 7, 2012 Charisse Van Horn reporting- A 13-year-old girl was beaten so severely, she had to be transported from her school bus to a local hospital where authorities say she was unconscious and suffered a concussion on Friday, January 6, 2012. According to Ocala Star Banner it was the 13-year-old’s victim first time riding the school bus from Liberty Middle School in Marion County, Florida. Five girls and two boys were taken into custody and face charges of disorderly conduct and battery. The names of the victim or perpetrators have not been released due to their ages. The alleged perpetrators range between the ages of 12 and 15.
According to reports, no one on the bus would let the 13-year-old victim sit down when someone threw a shoe at her and a fight ensued. Witnesses stated one student climbed over seats in order to reach the victim and attack her. The victim later regained consciousness and spoke to Deputy Larry McArdle; she indicated she did not know her attackers.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 am as the bus driver said he noticed one altercation, believed it was over, but pulled over to the Marion Oaks Elementary School when he saw the condition of the student and that a second fight had ensued. He notified authorities who dispatched law enforcement.
The Ocala Star reports that witnesses saw the victim fall to the ground and suffer what appeared to be a seizure before losing consciousness.
Bullying is a growing problem throughout Florida and states nationwide. In 2009, a 13-year-old boy who attended Tampa’s Walker Middle School alleged that four classmates held him down in the football locker room and raped him with a hockey stick and broom handle. In that case, the four teenagers were charged as adults and their names were made public. Charged were Diemante Roberts, Lee Louis Myers, Randall John Moye, and Raymond Price Murray. You may read a full summation of the punishment and plea deals in the Walker teen rape case here.
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