Today Josie Lou Ratley remains in a medically induced coma at Broward General Hospital. Wayne Treacy, the 15 year-old accused of beating Josie nearly to death, is on suicide watch. Kayla Manson, 13 year-old, is currently in the juvenile detention center, however her family spoke out today on NBC's Today Show.
Showing photo's of the two teen girls friendship, Kayla's aunt and grandmother, as well as her attorney appeared with Meredith Viera on The Today Show to tell their side of the story (watch video below). They claim that Wayne Treacy didn't need Kayla's help in finding Josie, however there are contrary reports from the Sheriff's office.
Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti says, "She knew that he was coming over there to inflict harm on Josie. She didn't stop it. When he got there, he didn't even know who Josie was. He went after a separate person, and she told him, 'No, no that's not her. That's the wrong person.' "
'Bowling Against Bullies' fundraiser is being held to help the Ratley family with medical expenses since they don't have insurance. Teens holding a fundraiser to help Josie Ratley's family pay for her hospital bills will gather at a bowling alley in South Miami's Shops at Sunset Place Thursday.
Donations can be made directly at Wachovia Bank, in care of the Law Office of Garden and Donor for the benefit of Josie Lou Ratley in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Many thoughts, prayers and support go out to the Ratley family. There will be more fundraising events coming soon. Check back for more information.
Watch video and slideshow below.
Comments
With a last name like Manson and a first name like Wayne, how can you not be surprised that these monsters would do this!!!
That's just wrong to say something about someones 'name'. A parent chooses the name, not the child. And this world that we live in, it's no wonder that stupid stuff like this happens the way it does! People don't pay attention to what happens to their children or inside schools...they never pay attention to the 'signs'.
Unfortunately this girl suffered a pretty harsh punishment for being a bully!Most people think that if a bully only uses words that its not so bad and the person it is directed at should just get over it.Well, as we've seen on the news all too much lately someone always pays for bullying wether its the victim or the perpatraitor.Hopefully everyone who knows these youngsters will think twice about bullying others wether it be with fists or words!!!!!!!
Uhm "Donna" -- did you NOT read the comment below!
The comment below said that Josie Ratley was NOT 'the bully' who sent the texts.
It said that ALTHOUGH the texts were clearly sent from Josie's phone (apparently without her knowledge) --- authorities are speculating that they were actually sent by her best friend Kayla Manson (who is the girlfriend of the boy who attacked Josie Ratley).
And when I looked it up -- reports are saying that Police knew the texts came from Josie's phone BUT they did NOT think Josie Ratley was the person who had sent the texts.
The police have also pointed out that Josie Ratley and Wayne Treacey (the guy who attacked her) had NEVER met even once and that they actually knew almost NOTHING about each other (including how the other looked or anything about their private lives).
Even the police do not believe that this Josie kid was the one who sent or wrote the texts and they have repeatedly pointed out that the ONLY common link in all of the 'phone' interactions was / is this Kayla Manson girl.
Uh, his name isn't Wayne Manson. Wow. PAY ATTENTION.
Stupid: you are really stupid!! Obvious here means Manson for kayla manson and Wayne for wayne treacy. Get it?? Wayne PLUS manson??? didnt you notice the "s" in the word monsters??? -- meaning plural!!! Your name fits you to a T !!! you do understand that expression right? LOL
I'm not sure how "donna" can even begin to justify the actions of Wayne Traecy they should throw her in jail right along side Wayne.
Agreed.
This "donna" person is either 'heartless' about this tragic situation or 'clueless' about all the facts the police have discovered on the actions of Kayla Manson in all of this.
.
The TRUE SENDER of the so-called "triggering" text-memo
could (and likely may) have ACTUALLY been 13 year old
'KAYLA MANSON' (girlfriend of attacker, Wayne Treacy)
Kayla has been known by most for being a sneaky, precocious,
attention-seeking, drama-queen; an INSTIGATOR; a mind-game
player, a MANIPULATOR, etc. -- AND -- let’s not forget that she
also even wet so far as to "point the victim out" to the attacker
(even after he sent text-messages to Kayla describing his set plans
to kill the victim, whom he had never met, by beating her to death
and he also almost attacked another girl that he mistook for being her)
Kayla Manson (more than likely) asked to “borrow” Josie Ratley’s phone
”fro just a second”; then used it in order to send a smart-mouthed memo to
her boyfriend; and later knew (due to his texting his plans to her) that he was
plotting to violently assault Josie; then, without even attempting to warn poor
Josie of Wayne Treacy’s plan; even went so far
This case is just crazy all around. It looks like all parties involved are somewhat to blame.
# 1- Tend to your own Business, stay out of others.
# 2- Don't talk about a loved one that someone had just lost. That is hard on people and you do not know their state of mind.
# 3- Any child who found their brother hanging should seek counseling. Immediately...
# 4- What kind of family environment did these boys have. One committed suicide and the other almost killing this girl.
# 5- And saying this is a case involving a bully. This kid did not bully her. Never knew who she was, that's just plain ole assault.
# 5- If anyone was a bully it was the female...."Mental bullying" this other guy with the messages about his dead brother. That's just wrong...
I am a very sane person, but if I lost one of my little daughters and did somehow survive without checking out and someone made a derogatory comment about them. I would probably rip your heart out.
glam im not on the jury
They have already speculated that Josie Ratley was NOT 'the bully' who sent the texts.
Although the texts were clearly sent from Josie's phone (apparently without her knowledge) --- authorities are speculating that they were actually sent by her best friend Kayla Manson (who is the girlfriend of the boy who attacked Josie Ratley).
Reports are saying that Police knew the texts came from Josie's phone BUT they did NOT think Josie Ratley was the person who had sent the texts.
The police have also pointed out that Josie Ratley and Wayne Treacey (the guy who attacked her) had NEVER met even once and that they actually knew almost NOTHING about each other (including how the other looked or anything about their private lives).
Even the police do not believe that this Josie kid was the one who sent or wrote the texts and they have repeatedly pointed out that the ONLY common link in all of the 'phone' interactions was / is this Kayla Manson girl.
Dispicable, how can you not justify the action to an extent.
Mike, I agree with you 100%.
his entire event was/is very unfortunate for both parties. The really unfortunate side of this is that Josie was the bully and the catalyst. I know she could have never predicted the outcome but she should have never had to worry about it. If she was respectful enough to not use such a personally traumatic experience to "taunt" Mr. Treacy then she would not be in her current position. She sent the text in hopes of a reaction and she got a reaction. She wanted to show her friends that she was "cool" enough to taunt someone she didn't know, stand up to a boy, pick her self up by putting someone down... Well, this is always a possible outcome. If teens wont show respect out of decency then maybe they can learn to show it out of fear..... If the roles were reversed; Boy in the hospital and girl in prison, the whole country would say..."Good job, way to stand up to the bully. Way to go girl." The old ways of thinking are just that....old. Gender does not define a victim or a bully
Read the comments above.
They show how Josie Ratley was NOT 'the bully' who sent the texts.
Police are speculating that Kayla Manson (Josie's best friend) sent the texts when she borrowed Josie's phone during.
Possession is 9/10th of the law, and it was Josie's cell phone that both Kayla and Wayne were abusing with no regaurd to at all to Josie. This should show the pattern that fallowed. Who knows how many texts where sent to Josie's phone by Wayne, he had all kinds of free time on his hands since he skipped school that day. The conclusion I am making is that Josie got tired of these texts and started texting him back to tell him stop texting her phone, from there it escalated. I think Wayne probably called her all kinds of names in his texts when the exchanges heated up. The pattern I see is that the mess talking texts went back and forth, until Josie texted something about his brother.
Despite hardships in his life, Wayne has to be removed from society, he is like a savage dog that attacks people. Not entirely the dogs fault but the dog has to be put down for public safty. Waynes family may stink, but that does not excuse the horrible thing he did. He deserves a long prison sentence.
Mike I do not agree with you. Wayne and Kayla where the ones putting their noses in Josie business by using her phone. That is an invasion of Josie's privacy. She had every right to text something back.
Also, this love one stuff is stupid. Kids talk mess about each others momma's all the time, yet here you are pointing a finger Josie as if you are morally superior to her.
If what you are saying is true, then why are you daring to talk badly of a person who now has brain damage? Doesn't that now suggest by your own standards, that one of her family members can now stomp on your head with steel toed boots? If Josie is in the wrong and got what she deserved then what about you? I don't think you really thought this situation through carefully enough.
I don care what she said about Wayne's brother. There is No excuse for what he did to Josie. What an Animal!!! He is a danger to Society!!!
Maria, I agree with you. Who cares what she texted. This guy, Wayne is clearly an animal!!! let's give him the needle!!!
some friend THAT MANSON (NAMED APPROPRIATELY)is what a RAT ! I would have said "dude she is not here" so go home before you get in trouble because I am going to call the police if you harm anyone . .but these little prima donnas have no honor and no spine they act like they are all part of a ghetto gang . . pointing out her so-called "friend" . .what a little B**CH ! They BOTH should serve 30 years for this heinous crime. !
And the spineless media reporting that this piece of crap was suffering "suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder" BIG DEAL ! WHO THE F CARES ? He should see a shrink then that is NO EXCUSE ! HE is a danger to society and would do society a favor if he committed suicide !
Come on! Who have the fault here are the parent! Kids now are threat as if they are adult!!! This shouldn't be happen !! Parent must MUST teach their children how to respect others.
Kayla is just a kid! She didn't know that he would do that! Maybe she though that he just wanted to talk to her not to talk about his brother's death.
REMEMBER SHE'S THE GIRLFRIEND!! WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HE TOLD KAYLA TO PUT HER ON HIS FAVOR!!! WHAT EVER IT IS WITH THE HELP OF HER OR NOT HE HAD HER PHONE SO HE WILL FOUND OUT NO MATTER WHAT!!
I knew her holy crap I knew her in 7h grade im in 9th now. but wow i might go see her.
no one deserves to go through what josie did no matter what she may have said about his brother.
i hope that she makes a full recovery and is able to move on with her life and be able to have better friends that love her and won't allow things like this to happen to her.
get well soon, josie[:
All i can say is my thoughts and prayers are with Josie. This world around us today actually scares me. This actually teaches everyone a lesson about how people can be if they're not careful. I sure learned from this. What he did was wrong, What they did was both wrong, I can see they understand now. Josie fighting for her life! Yes, She probably said cruel and hateful words to Wayne, But he should be OLD ENOUGH to IGNORE THAT! Why would he even waste his time worrying on that? Enough though he got quite offended and decided to threaten Josie. I hope Josie will be okay. ~ Get Well Joise, From Kasey~
Hahaha she pretended to be best friends with this girl and then pointed her out when some kid was totally intent on killing her. And she's 2 years younger. Wow, if it weren't for this incident she'd be top bitch at school. You know, that girl everyone hates but wants to be. She should study business in prison; she's obviously great at being a 2-faced backstabber.
the 13 year old, kayla did absolutely nothing to save her friend, josie or to stop her boyfriend tracy. 1.) Tracy is 15 and Kayla is 13, why are they dating?
2.) Josie might have said something bad over text, but she didn't deserve for pieces of her brain removed
3.) Tracy needs to go to kindergarten, NOT josie, maybe he can learn how to keep his hands to himslef
4.)Kayla is agreed to be a 2 faced, backstabbing bratt, and she knows what she did wrong. No one should feel sorry for her just because she's thirteen.
5.) One more thing, Tracy needs HELP. Seriously, he needs to go to a mental institute or angermanagement classes
Remember the old adage: Don't start no S#IT wont be no SH!T. She started the txting.. started the insulting... and paid a price that was too high. The boy was wrong no question but this girl should have thought about her actions as well. As far as the age between the two kids.. there was one grade difference and two years difference. This is pretty common in grade school.
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