No adult charges for teen accused in viral fight near Hazelwood East, judge rules
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A judge ruled Wednesday that a teenage suspect accused in an off-campus fight near Hazelwood East High School will not face adult charges.
The suspect, a 15-year-old girl, was previously charged with assault as a juvenile prior to the ruling. The suspect will instead remain in the juvenile court system.
Leading up to that decision, in a May 10 certification hearing, a juvenile officer also recommended that the suspect not be tried as an adult, also testifying that the 15-year-old does not have a record.
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The suspect was involved in a fight that left 16-year-old Kaylee Gain hospitalized with a skull fracture and brain bleeding, leaving her in critical condition at the time. A viral video from early March showed Gain and other students fighting near the high school.
Gain’s family says she’s back home now and her condition has improved, but she’s scheduled to undergo another skull surgery. They also say she’s still going through speech therapy and experiencing short-term memory loss.
Advocates for the teenage suspect claim that Gain bullied her. They also contended that she didn’t deserve adult charges because she wasn’t in trouble prior to the fight.
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