Missouri, St. Louis - Teenage girl critically injured after brutal fight with another female teen near Hazelwood East High School, 8 March 2024

[Rolypolyoly]

<modsnip: quoted post was removed>
It is a disturbing watch, I would advise anyone who hasn't watched, if they are going to, to do so with the sound off

 

[aliciaJ87]

Spoiler: DISTURBING - unedited fight video from start to finish

It’s hard to make out, but before they start, I hear someone saying either get her Kaylee or you’re it Kaylee.

With the amount of fighting going on, I wonder if this is some kind of planned thing? I hate to sound stupid, but like, a fight club?

 

[STLBlues]

I've watched the full video several times and <modsnip: referenced post was removed> IMO - What I see is both engage each other at the same time. Both extend their arms and make contact with each others' arms/hands at the same time. Granted, the activity goes out of frame at about the time the physical confrontation begins.

 

[tlcya]

my own take is that both girls knew why they were there and it wasn't to chat in any language. both lunge toward one another with KG throwing a punch which doesn't land squarely as it is in the process of being blocked by the other girl, who is also in the process of throwing a punch of her own. JMO because others may interpret it entirely differently.

The Post article did make one thing make more sense to me that hadn't before. MOO This was two large groups of teens who converged to fight. KG and the accused girl were not the only ones who went there to fight. The other fights that were happening almost simultaneously were not spurred by people attempting to respond to the fighting between the two girls, but were apparently all part of two groups disagreeing. Previous videos I had seen had been shortened and blurred, without sound and were confusing to me. It appeared to be a brawl of sorts without context with maybe some folks trying to come to KG's aid or intervene. That is not what I see in the fuller version video. I see a planned brawl, much like a scene from the outsiders where the soc's and greasers all met at the park.

if the Post is correct, it was two groups who had beef and not just two individuals, which makes what I saw in the video make more sense in my mind.

 

[Sundog]

I'm not sure I am following the train of thought being put forward. Are people saying that the juvenile who slammed Kaylee's brains into the concrete several times committed attempted murder in self-defense?

 

[SteveP]

my own take is that both girls knew why they were there and it wasn't to chat in any language. both lunge toward one another with KG throwing a punch which doesn't land squarely as it is in the process of being blocked by the other girl, who is also in the process of throwing a punch of her own. JMO because others may interpret it entirely differently.

The Post article did make one thing make more sense to me that hadn't before. MOO This was two large groups of teens who converged to fight. KG and the accused girl were not the only ones who went there to fight. The other fights that were happening almost simultaneously were not spurred by people attempting to respond to the fighting between the two girls, but were apparently all part of two groups disagreeing. Previous videos I had seen had been shortened and blurred, without sound and were confusing to me. It appeared to be a brawl of sorts without context with maybe some folks trying to come to KG's aid or intervene. That is not what I see in the fuller version video. I see a planned brawl, much like a scene from the outsiders where the soc's and greasers all met at the park.

if the Post is correct, it was two groups who had beef and not just two individuals, which makes what I saw in the video make more sense in my mind.

I agree. Regardless of whether one sees KG throw the first punch, or both throwing punches almost simultaneously, one thing I believe everyone who has seen the video will agree on, is that NO ONE who has seen it can say they saw an ambush attack on KG. Both girls were facing each other, and both clearly were about to go at it, and I don't mean chat. It is very apparent, and I do not need a trusted source to tell me that this was a planned fight. My eyes tell me that it was, very obviously. Hazelwood East's hours are 8:50-3:50, and this brawl took place around 2:30. These kids were all supposed to be in class at the time, with the exception of at least one, who we now learn had been suspended, so had no apparent reason to even be there at that time...but they all were. IMO, they all planned to be there, which is why the person who did the video we have all seen was set up and ready to go, saying "let me get a good angle" And the first words heard as the girls prepared to square off was the voice of another girl in the crowd saying "get her Kaylee". And again, let me state, nothing that happened justified KG being left in a coma, with her skull crushed, and her attacker should be held fully accountable for her actions. JMO

Draw your own conclusions.

 

[SteveP]

I'm not sure I am following the train of thought being put forward. Are people saying that the juvenile who slammed Kaylee's brains into the concrete several times committed attempted murder in self-defense?

Respectfully, NO ONE here has stated or even hinted that the attacker was acting in self-defense when she bashed KG's head. Quite to the contrary, I believe that even those who think this fight was planned, acknowledge that there is no excuse for the beating that KG suffered. Any claim of self-defense flew out the window the moment Kaylee's head was bashed into the concrete the first time, and I have seen no one say anything other than that. JMO

 

[Dotta]

I agree. Regardless of whether one sees KG throw the first punch, or both throwing punches almost simultaneously, one thing I believe everyone who has seen the video will agree on, is that NO ONE who has seen it can say they saw an ambush attack on KG. Both girls were facing each other, and both clearly were about to go at it, and I don't mean chat. It is very apparent, and I do not need a trusted source to tell me that this was a planned fight. My eyes tell me that it was, very obviously. Hazelwood East's hours are 8:50-3:50, and this brawl took place around 2:30. These kids were all supposed to be in class at the time, with the exception of at least one, who we now learn had been suspended, so had no apparent reason to even be there at that time...but they all were. IMO, they all planned to be there, which is why the person who did the video we have all seen was set up and ready to go, saying "let me get a good angle" And the first words heard as the girls prepared to square off was the voice of another girl in the crowd saying "get her Kaylee". And again, let me state, nothing that happened justified KG being left in a coma, with her skull crushed, and her attacker should be held accountable for her actions.. JMO

Draw your own conclusions.

This was my first thought after watching the video.
I even wrote it at the beginning of this thread.
Looks like 2 antagonistic groups meeting for a fight.

But, of course, I don't excuse the rabid violence of the perp.

But it seems to be the new norm at schools.
Violence and bullying.

Unfortunately.

JMO

 

[LaborDayRN]

One way or another there are only losers in this story, 2 girls now have their future ruined
I really hope KG recovers fully from the attack but we’ll have to wait and see
TBH regardless if KG and this girl had history the level of violence inflicted on KG was horrendous, nothing justifies this behaviour

I agree. I don't see any winners here.
I hope I'm wrong but I don't see any way that KG won't have lasting damage from this brutal attack.
And as for the accussed, I doubt any jury will be able to watch that video and rationalize her behavior (nor should they) IMO.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Outrage as family of Kaylee Gain attacker launches petition calling on authorities not to charge her as an adult

The petition, set up by the suspect’s aunt, was slammed as ‘insane’

au.news.yahoo.com

"plays the violin in the school orchestra"

yet risks both her hands in the video posted?

“multilingual, speaking four languages including Spanish and Korean"

Speaks four languages?

Yet chose physical violence to address a problem....

Prayers for KG & her family & friends, and justice.

jmho ymmv lrr

I wonder what in the world her attorney thinks all this has to do with the attack on Kaylee. He/She is grasping at straws IMO

 

[LaborDayRN]

My father met coma criteria after he had the massive stroke which led to his death in October 4 days later, at the age of 90. He had sleep and wake cycles, and recognized us; he was not on life support, and had an IV port installed for morphine, and a urinary catheter just so he wouldn't wet himself.

The Glasgow Coma Scale and how experts use it

What do the numbers of the Glasgow Coma Scale mean, and how does it add up to affect care for nervous system conditions?

my.clevelandclinic.org

I just checked the Missouri CaseNet website, and so far, the suspect has not been charged as an adult.

I'm so very sorry for your loss.

 

[PawneeDew]

Is East St. Louis still as bad as it used to be?

Yes.

 

[Eli9]

Daily Mail is reporting that Kaylee was suspended from the HS the day before this fight occurred. The suspension was due to Kaylee involved in a fight. There were NO details about this fight and it is the Daily Mail, so, read discerningly.

Kaylee Gain was suspended from school for fighting day before beating

Gain, 16, was left her in a comma for two weeks after the beating near a Hazelwood high school in St Louis. She had been suspended for fighting a day earlier.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[GoBuckeyes]

I was going to say something similar.
My mum had a severe stroke at 54; she was put into an induced coma for a few days to let her brain 'rest.'
Then, they gradually let her regain consciousness. After several weeks, maybe 5 or 6, maybe more, she was sent to a 'rehab' hospital for nearly two years before they said Ok, this is as good as she'll get and sent her 'home' to live with 24 hour care. She couldn't walk and could only say no. Could not operate communication devices and could only press one direction on her wheelchair and would go around in circles, laughing.
Her stroke was on the left side frontal.
This is just for a real life example.
Obviously this was brain trauma in a different way.

I am assuming that because it was the back of her head that was smashed on the concrete, the damage to the frontal lobe is due to the rebound of the frontal lobes hitting the bone above the eye socket? Does anyone know?

Yes, the damage to the frontal lobe would be from the rebound effect of the brain slamming into the front of the skull, both from it rebounding from being slammed into the pavement and from the violent changes in direction by the attacker.

 

[tlcya]

I'm not sure I am following the train of thought being put forward. Are people saying that the juvenile who slammed Kaylee's brains into the concrete several times committed attempted murder in self-defense?

absolutely not. I am simply saying that knowing KG was not simply a bystander who got jumped and attacked but rather an active participant who had been suspended from school the day prior due to fighting makes me reconsider the accused family's statements about neither girl being who they were initially painted in the press to be.

Do I still think the accused should be charged as an adult? YES

Do I now believe that some of the mitigators her family suggests exist do indeed exist? Also yes.

Do I believe their claims their daughter's actions were self defense? Nope, not by a long shot.

Do I hope KG recovers fully. Yes.

Do I think she is a perfect angel send down from the heavens? Probably not.

Do I think the accused is some out of control monster with no redeeming qualities? also probably not.

Do I think lots of poor decisions were made that day by all the young people present that will affect many lives? yes.

Do I think the justice system will sort this? Yes.

all of this is JMO.

 

[Rolypolyoly]

absolutely not. I am simply saying that knowing KG was not simply a bystander who got jumped and attacked but rather an active participant who had been suspended from school the day prior due to fighting makes me reconsider the accused family's statements about neither girl being who they were initially painted in the press to be.

Do I still think the accused should be charged as an adult? YES

Do I now believe that some of the mitigators her family suggests exist do indeed exist? Also yes.

Do I believe their claims their daughter's actions were self defense? Nope, not by a long shot.

Do I hope KG recovers fully. Yes.

Do I think she is a perfect angel send down from the heavens? Probably not.

Do I think the accused is some out of control monster with no redeeming qualities? also probably not.

Do I think lots of poor decisions were made that day by all the young people present that will affect many lives? yes.

Do I think the justice system will sort this? Yes.

all of this is JMO.

I second this post, thank you @tlcya

 

[Cryptic]

The fight happened not during school hours and not on school grounds. the MO AG should acquaint himself with facts of the case and stop politicizing it to try to benefit from it.

Well said.

There is no evidence that pursuant to socio political beliefs, school officials had say:

Refused to prosecute the perpetrator in the past, ignored "red flags" of escalating criminal behavior, or had even given her the benefit of a series of doubts and had refused to say, expel her.

State level officials of any party or political orientation are expected to be able to think before they speak.

 

[Stunned]

Yes, the damage to the frontal lobe would be from the rebound effect of the brain slamming into the front of the skull, both from it rebounding from being slammed into the pavement and from the violent changes in direction by the attacker.

Like Shaken Baby Syndrome, except worse?

 

[dmac55]

“Contrecoup brain injury involves a contusion remote from, and classically opposite to, the actual site of impact to the head. Contrecoup, a French term, means counterblow.”

Contrecoup Brain Injury - PubMed

Contrecoup Brain Injury - PubMed

Contrecoup brain injury involves a contusion remote from, and classically opposite to, the actual site of impact to the head. Contrecoup, a French term, means counterblow. The first use of the contrecoup was made by Hippocrates to describe a fracture opposite to the point of impact. From the...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[SteveP]

A spokesperson for the Hazelwood School District, while not releasing a name, has now confirmed that at least one student was indeed suspended for fighting another classmate, the day before the attack that left KG critically injured. That student was KG, according to the accused attacker's attorney. This seems to validate the story first reported and linked earlier, from The New York Post.

A Hazelwood District spokesperson confirmed that the day before the attack that injured Gain, there was another fight involving students from the school. The spokesperson says at least one student was suspended as a result of that fight.

While the district wouldn't name the student who was suspended, an attorney for the suspect tells 5 On Your Side it was Gain. He says that the initial fight was the precursor to the fight the next day that left Gain critically injured.

Girl injured in viral fight near Hazelwood East had been suspended from school the previous day

The Missouri Attorney General and school district continued a public back-and-forth Wednesday.

www.ksdk.com