The video is still floating around on Facebook, Ebaumsworld, and a few other places.
Quote:
|
For forty-six seconds, Aaron Hill gets kicked, punched, pummeled, cursed at, threatened, yanked around by his hair, while other kids are cheering and filming the entire event. There’s probably more footage, but this is the only portion currently available.
|
WPBF tv in Florida is now reporting that Andrew Wheeler, the person seen hitting and kicking Aaron Hill in the video, has been arrested and charged with felony child abuse, a third-degree felony in the State of Florida. Also arrested was Evadean Lydecker, the woman who bought alcohol for the house party.
Video of teen beating autistic boy sparks national outcry | Local News - WPBF Home
The video is graphic and disturbing -- and has caught the attention of thousands now across the country.
18-year-old Andrew Wheeler was arrested by the Okeechobee Police Department and is facing a charge of felony child abuse, a third degree felony.
According to the official police report obtained by WPBF 25 News, the 16-year-old autistic boy was at a house party when he reportedly got drunk and passed out.
He awoke to being asked to go outside and fight someone. After refusing to go outside, Wheeler was called to come kick him out, the report said. Once Wheeler arrived, he began hitting him.
Wheeler is seen in the video beating the boy, repeatedly punching and kicking him.
In a statement to police, the boy said that Wheeler had choked him until he became unconscious. He awoke to find Wheeler standing over him -- hitting him in the face while others stood around and laughed. He added that Wheeler then held a knife to his throat and told him to leave.
The boy then left and collapsed in the street where police found him, according to the report.
A driver had alerted police after seeing the boy laying in the street.
An adult is also seen in the video. The report identified the woman as Evadean Lydecker.
The boy told police that earlier that evening, Lydecker had driven them to the gas station and bought them alcohol, then later she was drinking at the home with her friends. He added that he had tried to knock on her door for help but there was no answer, the report said.
Lydecker denied giving alcohol to minors and denied witnessing the fight inside the residence.
According to Wheeler's statement to officers, he said that he hit the boy because he thought the boy had struck another attendee at the party and got angry.
The boy suffered from multiple bruises, a sprained neck and a concussion, according to the report.
Investigators have also confirmed that Lydecker was arrested Friday morning for contributing to delinquency of a minor/holding an open house party, according to the Okeechobee Police Department.
Thousands are now speaking out with the hash tag #JusticeForAaron all over social media in reaction to this story.
Wheeler is being held in the Okeechobee County Jail on a $20,000.00 bond, according to Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office.
