FLORIDA CITY, FLA. – – Cellphone video captured the moment a 10-year-old girl was attacked by a teen at a summer camp in Florida City, leading to calls for accountability from the young victim’s family.
The video, obtained by 7News on Wednesday, shows the girl getting punched on the side of her face at a summer camp at Grace Success Academy in Florida City.
The clip, which runs about 55 seconds, has the victim’s loved ones feeling distraught.
The victim’s grandparents said their granddaughter and the attacker don’t even know each other, and they want the attacker to face the consequences.
“To hit her in her face and then grab her hair, and she slung her,” said Barbara Horton, the child’s maternal grandmother.
The family told 7News the attack happened Monday in a room full of other children.
According to detectives, the confrontation began with the teen, in the yellow sweater, heard that the 10-year-old was talking about her. The attacker is then seen on the video grabbing the victim’s phone. At that moment, police said, the 10-year-old was trying to call her mother.
The teen is then seen dragging her by her hair onto the floor.
“It hurts me, because as a grandmother, you’re supposed to protect your grand kids,” said Horton, “and it hurt me, because I couldn’t protect her.”
Thursday afternoon, 7News spoke with the victim’s mother.
“To see that, [the video] it bothered me,” said the mother of the victim. “I don’t like bullies at all, and that’s just something I am not happy with.”
7News obtained a copy of the Florida City Police report, and it states that roughly 25 children were in the room at the time, and no one was supervising them.
“My granddaughter is looking like, ‘What’s going on,?’” said Horton. “When she hit her, the first thing she said was, ‘Why did you hit me?’
Both of the 10-year-old’s grandmothers said their granddaughter had been attending the summer camp for about a month, adding she would never be involved in a fight.
“My granddaughter doesn’t have any enemies,” said Horton. “To know her is to love her. She’s a loving little girl, so why this person chose to pick on her, only God knows.”
At the end of the video, the victim is seen walking away after the attack. Her mother said she supports her decision of just walking away.
“I am proud of her. I’m not mad or anything,” said her mother. “She did what she felt like she needed to do, ’cause she’s never been in that situation, but I can guarantee you it won’t happen again.”
Carletha McGuire, the victim’s paternal grandmother, said she used to work at the school and recognized the teen immediately.
“I called the mother myself, and I said, ‘I know your daughter did not jump on my granddaughter,’” said McGuire, “and I said, ‘And I know that,’ and I asked the young lady — I called her on FaceTime — ‘Did you know that was my granddaughter?’ All she did was just look at me.”
7News went to the summer camp searching for answers. Someone opened the door, said they would be back and never returned.
A 7News crew later went to the home of the owner and director of the summer camp. No one opened the door.
The mother of the victim said she has been given the same treatment.
“They won’t answer calls or open the door,” she said.
The family of the victim said they contacted the Florida City Police Department.
“If you send your child to school or to summer camp, you send them one way but then come back another way, and I don’t think that should happen,” said Horton.
The family of the young girl said the attacker has been arrested and charged with simple battery and attempted strong-arm robbery. The Department of Children and Family has also gotten involved.
The victim’s mother said this is a step forward for justice.
“I feel that way, but it’s not where I’m stopping,” she said. “Next stop is the school, so they’re going to have deal with the consequences also.”
“You done messed with the wrong one. Now you got consequences to pay, and we ain’t missing their court date,” said McGuire.
The victim’s mother also said she plans on suing the school.
