A 13-year-old Canadian girl was brutally beaten by a group of teens after being lured to Boyce-Gyro Beach Park in Kelowna, British Columbia. The attack, which took place on September 27, was recorded on camera and has sparked outrage across the community.
Lured to the Attack
The young girl, whose identity has been withheld due to her age, was invited to the beach by a friend around 8:30 p.m. Upon arriving at the park, she was confronted by a group of about 30 teens. According to Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Sgt. Laura Pollock, what began as a verbal altercation quickly escalated into a violent assault.
The mob of teenagers pushed the girl to the ground, repeatedly punched her in the head and body, and even stomped on her until she lost consciousness. Adding to the cruelty of the attack, the assailants threw dirt and sand on her as she lay motionless.
A Father’s Devastating Witness
The girl’s father, Donovan, shared the heart-wrenching account of watching the brutal beating unfold. His daughter had called him for help before the attack, but her phone was stolen by her attackers, preventing her from seeking assistance. Donovan told CTV News, “I watched two minutes of my daughter getting near beat to death, like 20 or 30 kids who just decided that it was better for them to record it and laugh at her.”
Donovan expressed his disbelief and frustration over the attack. His daughter had just started her first year of high school, and he confirmed that she had not been previously acquainted with most of the individuals involved. “I don’t know what my daughter did to deserve this,” he said. “I don’t know what anybody could do to deserve this. It’s terrible to watch. I hope people do watch it so they can believe it.”
Online Influence and Social Media’s Role
Donovan believes that the violence his daughter endured is a byproduct of today’s social media culture. He speculated that what the teens had seen online may have influenced their behavior, stating, “This is all probably based on what I can think of as social media.”
He also called for action, decrying the growing youth violence in the community. “How many messages do we need to send and say this also happened to my daughter before something gets done?” Donovan pleaded, underscoring the need for urgent attention to prevent such incidents from occurring again.
Medical and Emotional Recovery
Following the attack, an ambulance was called, and the teen was rushed to a hospital. She sustained a concussion and bruised ribs. While her physical recovery is expected to take time, the emotional trauma is likely to be much longer-lasting. “Physically, she’s got a lot of healing to do,” Donovan said. “Mentally, she started therapy, and I don’t know how long that’s ever going to take for her to trust or want to be outside again.”
RCMP Investigation and Arrests
The RCMP launched an investigation into the brutal attack and reviewed clear video footage that captured the incident. This footage allowed the authorities to identify the “primary aggressors” involved in the assault. Three minors were arrested this week in connection with the case and were later released under strict conditions. Due to the ages of the suspects, additional information has not been made public.
Sgt. Pollock acknowledged the damaging effects of circulating videos of such incidents. She stated, “I know from my work with victims that have been exploited through imagery and continuous circulation of video and photos when they are a victim of crime that it has profound and lasting impacts. The video is degrading and an attempt to humiliate.”
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