Mark Drutz, the attorney representing Taylor Hedlund, 14, does not think a hit on the head with a chair was a spur-of-the-moment act.
Taylor lost consciousness after a classmate hit her on the head with a metal folding chair in the lunchroom at the Achieve Academy in Prescott Valley on April 10.
"I am not sure that a cell phone was used to tape the incident," he said. "I heard it was a video camera, and that would lend support that it was pre-planned."
Drutz plans to find out who is responsible for what happened in the school's lunchroom.
"Obviously, Taylor is blameless," he said. "How much supervision there was in the lunchroom is something to be developed; obviously, it was not enough."
"We can't make any comments right now - not until next week," said Gina Hatfield, director of Achieve Academy in Prescott Valley. "The school has taken steps to make sure it doesn't happen again."
When The Daily Courier asked if the school had any adult supervision in the lunchroom, Hatfield replied, "Of course there was supervision in the lunchroom."
The classmate is currently in juvenile detention, charged with aggravated assault, and faces a court date on April 21.
"Taylor will be seeing her family physician for follow-up medical care and has some emotional issues connected to what happened, so she may see a counselor," Drutz said.
What led up to this incident in the lunchroom is still a mystery.
"Taylor's mom took her out of school a couple of months ago for home schooling," Drutz explained. "But she went back to school for the AIMS testing on April 9. Taylor plans to complete eighth grade and graduate from the academy to be eligible to go to Bradshaw Mountain High School next year."
"This was an unfortunate event, but juveniles confronting and assaulting juveniles is occurs daily in school yards across the country," commented Cmdr. P.J. Janik of the Prescott Valley Police Department. "This one just happened to be digitally taped and put on the Internet."
He stressed that this incident should be a wake-up call for parents. "There's a lot information on sites like MySpace and YouTube, and parents can benefit from learning what these sites are saying about their child, friends and school. It is very insightful."
Contact the reporter at jtwaddell@prescottaz.com
Reader Comments
Posted: Sunday, April 20, 2008
Article comment by:
ccvirginia
The brutality and sudden violence of this video is shocking, and I am vet!
A hit like this could easily kill or cause severe physical and mental impairments FOR LIFE. Absolutley stunning.
Posted: Friday, April 18, 2008
Article comment by:
katherine5150
Vinnie, there were numerous postings that held the parents accountable too. They were with the article the Courier first published on this topic and has since deleted. And obviously deleted the comments too.
EDITOR'S NOTE – The Courier does not delete articles from this site; they are in the archive search.
Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2008
Article comment by:
MG
you have to ask yourself just what kind of person would hit someone else over the head especially from behind. A little anger management training maybe.
I think the parents might also want to be looked at by someone to see if there might be some underlying problems at home which contribute to this girls lack of control and respect.
Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2008
Article comment by:
Vinnie Sorce
Interesteing that no one mentioned parents being at fault...
Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2008
Article comment by:
hummingbirdhillfarm
Just why did this kid think hitting another with a chair was even an option?
Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2008
Article comment by:
James R.
I was a graduate of this school about 4, almost 5 years ago, and the year after I left, most of the teachers quit, leaving the place massively understaffed. Granted, obviously tempers are a lot more heated than I remember. Mostly kids would pound their chests screaming "what? What?!" Insults would be hurled, and threats of violence tossed around, but no body ever made a move...
It is a sad state of affairs because ACHIEVE started out great and my last two years of High School were good, but it very quickly fell into the dumps. Starting was the embezzlement problem with former administrator, a Mr. Turner, who's first name I can't remember. Then Gary Spiker took over, who was the principal before I left, and he had a "No child left behind" policy. (Basically he felt that all kids were welcome, and all could be "saved" but that eventually turned into a school which would take in rejects from Excel and other problematic schools where most kids have their own parole officers, thus chasing out all good students who became scared to even come to school)
Every year I hear that the school can't make it and will be shutting down. Either they need to follow through with their "Preventative Measures" by hiring on capable teachers (which means they will actually have to pay them more than just peanuts), or at least stop cradling these scum children just to get that extra $2,000 a kid from the government.
Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Article comment by:
ME
I think there is negligence on all parts here. The girl who so nicely hit the other girl while her back was turned. That is so brave! You know it had to be planned why else would someone be recording it. Think she should have to pay for the bills she created. Be responsible for what she did. Oh I forgot she's not responsible and she's so brave too.
Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Article comment by:
Sad state of affairs
The perpetrator should be dealt with harshly. It seems as if the whole sordid attack was planned. It was embarassing to see it on all the cable stations for the nation to see. One of the stations reported that it happened because the attacker was called "fat." If that's the case, the attacker needs some thicker skin than she's got. She needs to be punished. It was awful just seeing it never mind being the poor girl who got ambushed with a metal chair over her head.
Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Article comment by:
motherofschoolagedchildren!
"THE SCHOOL IS TAKING STEPS TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN?" WHAT??? IT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE.... AND I AGREE WHERE WAS THE ADULT SUPERVISION?? OH YEA THE KID PROBABLY HIT THEM ON THE HEAD FIRST BEFORE HITTING THE GIRL.
MY KIDS GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THERE ARE ADEQUATE ADULT SUPERVISION IN THEIR LUNCHROOMS, BETWEEN TEACHERS AIDES AND PARENTS! I WAS THINKING OF PUTTING MY DAUGHTER OUT THERE TO GIVE HER SOME EXTRA LEARNING SKILLS, BUT NOT ANYMORE!!!
Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Article comment by:
Friday's Child
The editor has removed this comment because it violates the Terms of Use agreement for dCourier.com.
Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Article comment by:
Andy
Lemme guess: The school is gonna get sued for negligence for failing to prevent and failing to supervise. And they have liability insurance. The girl that whacked her over the head won't get sued. And she doesn't have liablility insurance. For a plaintiff lawyer to disclose evidence via the newspaper is unusual.
Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Article comment by:
William
The saddest part of all of this is Mr. Drutz is actually pursuing something here. Don't you have an ambulance to chase, Mr. Drutz?
Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Article comment by:
Pete
I hope that the girl will see a real child psychologist. They are few in town who carry the license but the results are just expensive bills and kids with more emotionl problems. Should I mention some names? Maybe later.
