Counselor beaten, set on fire

Aug 10, 2001
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<< MOUNT PLEASANT ? A counselor at a Mount Pleasant center for troubled teens was in serious condition at the Westchester Medical Center yesterday after surviving a savage attack by eight girls who police said beat her, set her afire and poured chlorine bleach on her face.

"I'm shocked by the viciousness of this,'' Mount Pleasant Police Chief Louis Alagno said of the assault at the Pleasantville Cottage School. "It's hard to believe that we're dealing with children here.''

Six of the eight girls ? two 16-year-olds and four 15-year-olds ? were arraigned last night on charges of attempted second-degree murder. The older ones, Takiyah Miller and Lidia Orellana, were sent without bail to the Westchester County Jail in Valhalla. The others, Latoya Barcliff, Mary Brown, Angenika Carter and Nicole Infante, were to be sent to the Woodfield Cottage juvenile detention center.

The girls giggled as they were led to the Mount Pleasant courtroom about 10:40 p.m., wearing orange jumpsuits and some in bright green handcuffs the color of children's jewelry. Once inside the courtroom their mood changed however, with several breaking into tears repeatedly.

"Look at me!" Town Justice Robert Ponzini shouted at Brown at one point, and he repeatedly admonished the others to listen to him during their brief appearances. All were denied bail, but he issued orders of protection to each on behalf of the victim if, he said, "God forbid, you make bail" in the future.

Alagno said the attack began shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday and continued for more than an hour inside Cottage 12, a girls residence at the 1075 Broadway complex run by the Jewish Child Care Association.

During her ordeal, the 32-year-old counselor was punched, kicked, stomped and scratched by the girls before "they doused her with rubbing alcohol and set it on fire,'' Alagno said. "They continued to beat her and then doused her face with chlorine bleach.''

They also cut her hair with scissors, beat her with a telephone and kicked her down two flights of steps, according to the charges read in court last night.
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http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/020902/09cottage.html
 

djheater

Lifer
Mar 19, 2001
14,637
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That any event in a childs' life could create such rage frightens me as a parent. What horror do they know that my daughter doesn't?
 

geekybear

Senior member
Oct 4, 2001
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that's absolutely horrible! would suggesting the death penalty for such an attack be considered excessive? i don't think so.
 

Geekbabe

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Oct 16, 1999
32,207
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www.theshoppinqueen.com
and people wonder why I got out of the business of providing inpatient mental health services... as sad as this story is,what's sadder is that similar stuff happens quite frequently,only the sickest kids get beds in TX centers these days.
 

Orsorum

Lifer
Dec 26, 2001
27,631
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Wow, that's horrific... I hope that the counselor is okay... that the girls get the discipline/punishment they deserve.
 

Freejack2

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2000
7,751
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What I want to know is why was there only one counselor in the cottage for 16 troubled girls. There should have been at least 2 counselors at ANY given time. Also the counselors should have some kind of panic button or check in system to prevent this sort of thing. Leaving one counselor alone with 16 potentially violent kids is just plain stupid and dangerous.
 

LordMaul

Lifer
Nov 16, 2000
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Kill them. Kill them NOW.

No, better yet, wait 'till they're legal and lock them in a room with five thousand horny Anandtech'ers and wait for death. :Q

:|
 

Double Trouble

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
9,270
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Anyone that is capable of comitting these kinds of acts is obviously beyond reformation and doesn't have the conscience of a regular human being. I think "An eye for an eye" is a good idea in this case. Let each of these girls be doused in alcohol and set ablaze. Perhaps when the fire is done burning, if they survive, they can be put in prison for life to set an example........