Missouri, St. Louis - Teenage girl critically injured after brutal fight with another female teen near Hazelwood East High School, 8 March 2024

[Eli9]

Missouri teen Kaylee Gain, 16, has NO recollection of brutal beating

Gain's family attorney revealed in an update on the teen's condition on Friday that she has no memory of the viral beatdown, but has recovered enough to begin talking again.

www.dailymail.co.uk

In his update on Gain's condition on Friday, Kaemmerer also denied social media rumors that the teen's mother drove her to the scene of the fight.

He said that she was at work when the fight happened, and was driven to the hospital by a co-worker when she was called by police about her daughter's condition.

Kaylee's parents have also seen now-deleted social media posts from just hours after the brawl made by the accused attacker - in which she shows 'an utter lack of remorse for her actions,' according to the letter.

In one of the posts, the accused allegedly admitted that her attack was 'calculated' and joked about joining 'MMA or WWE.'

 

[SteveP]

Just as my heart breaks for KG's parents, my heart also breaks for the accused's parents. They are older parents, 66 and 67-years old, raising a teen daughter, and that can be tough at any age, and I would bet dollars to donuts they are adoptive parents. If their daughter is the accomplished student they report that she is, it sounds like they have not failed as parents, and have likely done everything they could to raise her right. And IF, and it is a big if, there are Instagram messages in LE possession that point to MD being threatened by KG and her friends, especially if over a period of time, that can and should be brought out in trial, NOT as an excuse to get her off the hook, but as mitigators that I do believe should matter when it comes to a punishment phase, assuming she is charged as an adult, and found guilty, as I believe she will be.

I do think MD would do well to keep any desire to apologize to KG to herself, at this time, and I believe there should be no contact between her OR her parents and KG while this case is clearly heading to a trial.

And finally, I am very glad to hear what seems to be very encouraging news on KG's improvement, and pray she continues to make strides. JMO

Family of teen assault suspect says 'she wants to apologize' to Kaylee Gain

The family of 15-year-old Maurnice DeClue identified her as the suspect charged with assaulting Kaylee Gain. They say she was bullied for months before the fight.

www.ksdk.com

 

[fred&edna]

Just as my heart breaks for KG's parents, my heart also breaks for the accused's parents. They are older parents, 67 and 66-years old, raising a teen daughter, and that can be tough at any age, and accept it as rumor, but I would bet dollars to donuts they are adoptive parents. If their daughter is the accomplished student they report that she is, it sounds like they have not failed as parents, and have done everything they could to raise her right. And IF, big if, there are Instagram messages in LE possession that point to MD being threatened by KG and her friends, especially if over a period of time, that can and should be brought out in trial, NOT as an excuse to get her off the hook, but as mitigators that I do believe should matter when it comes to a punishment phase, assuming she is charged as an adult, and found guilty, as I believe she will be.

I do think MD would do well to keep any desire to apologize to KG to herself, at this time, and I believe there should be no contact between her OR her parents and KG while this case is clearly heading to a trial.

And finally, I am very glad to hear what seems to be very encouraging news on KG's improvement, and pray she continues to make strides. JMO

Family of teen assault suspect says 'she wants to apologize' to Kaylee Gain

The family of 15-year-old Maurnice DeClue identified her as the suspect charged with assaulting Kaylee Gain. They say she was bullied for months before the fight.

www.ksdk.com

I can appreciate the kudos towards the parents raising her to become a reportedly accomplished student. But, shouldn't "raising her right" (at the least) include enough respect for human life not to viciously and brutally bash a clearly downed individual to brain damage/death?

jmo

 

[SteveP]

I can appreciate the kudos towards the parents raising her to become a reportedly accomplished student. But, shouldn't "raising her right" (at the least) include enough respect for human life not to viciously and brutally bash a clearly downed individual to brain damage/death?

jmo

I have seen no evidence that they did not teach her to have that respect. Parents cannot be held responsible for everything their child does in every circumstance in their life. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that they have failed in any way as parents. They are victims as well. JMO

 

[fred&edna]

Do you have any evidence that they did not teach her to have that respect? Parents cannot be held responsible for everything their child does in every circumstance in their life. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that they have failed in any way as parents. They are victims as well. JMO

I was just going off the "raising her right". Academics is one thing, morality is another. I guess it depends on each child... where and how they begin to learn (and continue to learn) about inflicting brutality (and death) upon another. I don't think I've seen/read anything on the topics of life and morality of this teen's raising. ETA: I didn't say they should be held legally responsible nor did I say they weren't victims.

jmo

 

[mickey2942]

I can appreciate the kudos towards the parents raising her to become a reportedly accomplished student. But, shouldn't "raising her right" (at the least) include enough respect for human life not to viciously and brutally bash a clearly downed individual to brain damage/death?

jmo

The problem is not always at home. That is a tough area, not justifying any brutality, but if you get a rep that you are not tough, it isn't good.

It is a whole different world than what most of us know.

 

[mewmew]

The problem is not always at home. That is a tough area, not justifying any brutality, but if you get a rep that you are not tough, it isn't good.

It is a whole different world than what most of us know.

Agreed. My stepmom is a wonderful parent who did her very best to raise her son right while living in a rougher area. She taught him manners, morals, etc. But it didn’t matter to her teenage son, my stepbrother, who just wanted to fit in with the “tough” crowd so he wouldn’t be bullied. It didn’t matter how much she prayed or tried to get him involved in sports or how many examples she gave him of what can happen when you get mixed in with a bad crowd. He didn’t care. He wanted to be accepted. So he joined a gang to find the acceptance he was looking for, and for protection from other gangs, too. And that led him to all sorts of crimes, finally landing himself in prison at age 21 after killing someone. The parents aren’t always to blame. JMHO.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

If someone showed up at the scene of any other crime and videotaped it, they'd be charged with something. If this was a passerby, of course no charges should be filed. But if this was a student or group of students who showed up for this purpose, I say charge them. Say someone showed up to tape a rape or burglary, they wouldn't just walk away.

MOO

Couldn't agree more! When it's framed in the context of different crimes, as you did, it's so obvious. moo

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Just as my heart breaks for KG's parents, my heart also breaks for the accused's parents. They are older parents, 66 and 67-years old, raising a teen daughter, and that can be tough at any age, and I would bet dollars to donuts they are adoptive parents. If their daughter is the accomplished student they report that she is, it sounds like they have not failed as parents, and have likely done everything they could to raise her right. And IF, and it is a big if, there are Instagram messages in LE possession that point to MD being threatened by KG and her friends, especially if over a period of time, that can and should be brought out in trial, NOT as an excuse to get her off the hook, but as mitigators that I do believe should matter when it comes to a punishment phase, assuming she is charged as an adult, and found guilty, as I believe she will be.

I do think MD would do well to keep any desire to apologize to KG to herself, at this time, and I believe there should be no contact between her OR her parents and KG while this case is clearly heading to a trial.

And finally, I am very glad to hear what seems to be very encouraging news on KG's improvement, and pray she continues to make strides. JMO

Family of teen assault suspect says 'she wants to apologize' to Kaylee Gain

The family of 15-year-old Maurnice DeClue identified her as the suspect charged with assaulting Kaylee Gain. They say she was bullied for months before the fight.

www.ksdk.com

I think what some people are having trouble with, what I'm having trouble with, is the attacker's family's concern only for their daughter. Now, that may not be an accurate assessment of what's really occurring. The D.M. by the tiniest of margins must qualify as MSM. They seem to just love to stir up the max amount of strife and discord possible.

It may be that the D.M. left out statements of concern for Kaylee's well-being, or I just may have missed them.

AMOO

 

[SteveP]

Missouri teen Kaylee Gain, 16, has NO recollection of brutal beating

Gain's family attorney revealed in an update on the teen's condition on Friday that she has no memory of the viral beatdown, but has recovered enough to begin talking again.

www.dailymail.co.uk

In his update on Gain's condition on Friday, Kaemmerer also denied social media rumors that the teen's mother drove her to the scene of the fight.

He said that she was at work when the fight happened, and was driven to the hospital by a co-worker when she was called by police about her daughter's condition.

Kaylee's parents have also seen now-deleted social media posts from just hours after the brawl made by the accused attacker - in which she shows 'an utter lack of remorse for her actions,' according to the letter.

In one of the posts, the accused allegedly admitted that her attack was 'calculated' and joked about joining 'MMA or WWE.'

Social media is probably the last place someone looking for truth should check, and sadly, is the main, or only place far too many people get their news. The social media rumor that KG's mother drove her to the location of the fight has been completely debunked now, by a co-worker who said she was at work at the time, and who claimed she drove her mother to the hospital, after she was called by police.

Likewise, the statements from the Gain's attorney that MD posted messages on social media after the fight, bragging about the fight and making reference to maybe joining the MMA or WWE, have been proven false by a TV station, whose reporter dug deep to discover that the inflammatory messages were first posted at an hour when MD was already in custody, with no access to a cell phone or computer, and therefore, she could not possibly have made the posts, which were likely made from a fake account, pretending to be her, and which were deleted soon after being made, either by Meta or by the creator of the account, which was also deleted.

It gets tricky here sometimes, because although we can't bring social media rumors here, we accept msm sources who often reference them, which often makes it difficult to know what to believe. JMO

No, Maurnice DeClue didn't tweet about participating in MMA or joining WWE after fight with Kaylee Gain

Kaylee Gain's family lawyer said the 'timing' of inflammatory social media posts suggests DeClue made them. In fact, the timing would've made it impossible.

www.ksdk.com

 

[al66pine]

M_D_ WANTS TO APOLOGIZE per her Mother's statement.*

If true, IDK if or how there's an appropriate way to do that.

Trying to imagine this 15 y/o girl -
- waltzing into the hospital to apologize to KG in person.
- phoning to talk & apologize personally to KG.
- posting apology on her own FB, Insta pages etc. (which are prob’ly deleted).
- posting apology on KG's soc media page (which are prob’ly deleted).
- sending letter w apology to KG.
- asking her atty to send letter of apology to KG on her behalf.
- talking w MSM reporter to include an apology to KG, in press or streamed/b’cast vid.
- talking to an (amateur?) podcaster, blogger, vlogger, etc for ^same.^
- asking her parents to do ^ same^. (Mother already talked w St.L. MSM)

As @SteveP posted yesterday:
“I do think MD would do well to keep any desire to apologize to KG to herself, at this time, and I believe there should be no contact between her OR her parents and KG while this case is clearly heading to a trial.”

I agree.
^DIRECT^ form of communication btwn the teens & families?
^INDIRECT^ but public communication (MSM, soc media, etc)?
For both, seems silence may be best imo.

Regardless of mode of communication & exact words, any “apology” made which may be introduced in crim procedures and/or civil suits may not benefit M_D_ in those contexts. IDK

Would KG & fam view an “apology” as a sincere sign of M_D_’s contrition for her actions or a perfunctory gesture prompted by her arrest & ensuing legal consequences?

Imo jmo moo
_____________________________________________
* Family of teen assault suspect says 'she wants to apologize' to Kaylee Gain

 

[fred&edna]

The problem is not always at home. That is a tough area, not justifying any brutality, but if you get a rep that you are not tough, it isn't good.

It is a whole different world than what most of us know.

Nature, nurture, location, and socioeconomic group, and social media, and... well, the list of influences goes on and on. Being mean and tough has always been around (just like criminal behavior), but whatever the influences of today might be... it appears the vicious brutality (fight to the death) becomes more common.

 

[seasideForest]

M_D_ WANTS TO APOLOGIZE per her Mother's statement.*

If true, IDK if or how there's an appropriate way to do that.

Trying to imagine this 15 y/o girl -

- sending letter w apology to KG.


Imo jmo moo
_____________________________________________
* Family of teen assault suspect says 'she wants to apologize' to Kaylee Gain

RSBM for focus
BBM

Whether or not it'd be counterproductive to M.D. and upcoming court case, I wouldn't know.

It may be unusual for that age group to send letters, but that's the only method I could conceive of being meaningful. KG's family could decide to not give the letter to her till she's more stable health-wise. KG herself could decide she doesn't want to read it. Or when she's able, she could rip it up (good anger release, except she apparently doesn't remember what happened to her). Any other methods are either too close imo, not respecting KG's boundary (again!), or too impersonal - having somebody else write it or putting it out on social media. I think the latter might not really be for KG, it might be for MD trying to exonerate herself in public, or could be construed that way imo.

All MOO

 

[Lyanna]

Records Request to Hazelwood

@Lyanna
It’s possible that Hazelwood East HS may not have appropriately maintained records re some or all students involved in the incident. I'm not disagreeing w that.

But IIUC BaiIey did not request records re the student “fight.”
He asked, IIUC, for broader records re the district’s school board meeting minutes & similar info, subject to chapter 610, the state’s version of “sunshine act,” i.e., types of records the district must produce on request by the public.

imo
_____________________________
* Missouri attorney general accused of racial bias for pinning student fight on diversity program
Also from article:
“I am launching an investigation into Hazelwood School District after a student was senselessly assaulted by another student in broad daylight,” Bailey said in a statement. “…. Hazelwood’s radical DEI programs resulted in such despicable safety failures….”*
"Bailey blamed the school district’s diversity, equity and inclusion programming as a cause for the fight,.... He said were it not for the programs, a school resource officer would have been present at the school."

Hi hope you're OK? X

Not sure I believe this was racially motivated, so think the AG has an agenda to secure himself some votes. Not sure it's anything to do with the school or the school district itself either. School is only partly responsible for the students they have, parents/family members/guardians are also responsible for their kids behaviours/outlook on life - they also share responsibility in shaping them into kind, productive people - is the AG going to investigate that element to?
I don't understand how this investigation would benefit Kaylee, when school programmes aren't the issue? Maybe he should spend his time ensuring that schools, their student bodies and teachers as well as local communities are better educated on managing emotions/aggression, providing the schools student bodies and the wider communities in his state more opportunities etc.
This sounds like a hardened and challenged neighbourhood, there's a reason for that and the school district isnt it.
This incident could lead on to many more years of feuding, between friend groups of these two girls, down the line until they don't even remember what they're fighting about. It's senseless and ridiculous. 2 kids lives in tatters. AG would be better placed at investigating what really causes these issues

(Hate politics, mainly cos I don't understand why the people elected to represent the voices of their communities rarely listen to them)

MOO, jmo

 

[al66pine]

RSBM for focus
BBM

Whether or not it'd be counterproductive to M.D. and upcoming court case, I wouldn't know.

It may be unusual for that age group to send letters, but that's the only method I could conceive of being meaningful. KG's family could decide to not give the letter to her till she's more stable health-wise. KG herself could decide she doesn't want to read it. Or when she's able, she could rip it up (good anger release, except she apparently doesn't remember what happened to her). Any other methods are either too close imo, not respecting KG's boundary (again!), or too impersonal - having somebody else write it or putting it out on social media. I think the latter might not really be for KG, it might be for MD trying to exonerate herself in public, or could be construed that way imo.

All MOO

@seasideForest
Thanks for your post. Agreeing that a teen sending a letter would likely be unusual. Quite unusual.

M_D_'s parents have engaged an atty IIUC, presumably for her defense whether it culminates in crim (adult) or juvie ct proceedings.
Seems likely that the atty will advise caution on or actually draft any further publicly released stmts.

As "for MD trying to exonerate herself in public" ---
personally not seeing that effort as likely to be effective.

I cannot imagine being in the shoes of MD, KG, or their families.
Such a crying shame.

 

[SteveP]

@seasideForest
Thanks for your post. Agreeing that a teen sending a letter would likely be unusual. Quite unusual.

M_D_'s parents have engaged an atty IIUC, presumably for her defense whether it culminates in crim (adult) or juvie ct proceedings.
Seems likely that the atty will advise caution on or actually draft any further publicly released stmts.

As "for MD trying to exonerate herself in public" ---
personally not seeing that effort as likely to be effective.

I cannot imagine being in the shoes of MD, KG, or their families.
Such a crying shame.

I completely agree. Whether an apology would be sincere or an attempt to soften her image in preparation for a court trial, I feel certain that it would be largely received as the latter. I suspect that the last thing her family attorney wanted to see was a story on local news stating that her family said that she wished to apologize to KG for her part in the attack. I feel pretty certain that any further communications coming out of her camp will be coming from the attorney, and not from family. JMO

 

[angelainwi]

Just as my heart breaks for KG's parents, my heart also breaks for the accused's parents. They are older parents, 66 and 67-years old, raising a teen daughter, and that can be tough at any age, and I would bet dollars to donuts they are adoptive parents. If their daughter is the accomplished student they report that she is, it sounds like they have not failed as parents, and have likely done everything they could to raise her right. And IF, and it is a big if, there are Instagram messages in LE possession that point to MD being threatened by KG and her friends, especially if over a period of time, that can and should be brought out in trial, NOT as an excuse to get her off the hook, but as mitigators that I do believe should matter when it comes to a punishment phase, assuming she is charged as an adult, and found guilty, as I believe she will be.

I do think MD would do well to keep any desire to apologize to KG to herself, at this time, and I believe there should be no contact between her OR her parents and KG while this case is clearly heading to a trial.

And finally, I am very glad to hear what seems to be very encouraging news on KG's improvement, and pray she continues to make strides. JMO

Family of teen assault suspect says 'she wants to apologize' to Kaylee Gain

The family of 15-year-old Maurnice DeClue identified her as the suspect charged with assaulting Kaylee Gain. They say she was bullied for months before the fight.

www.ksdk.com

I do wonder if they had her in therapy, her explosive anger could be a result of unresolved trauma from her early years if she was not adopted right away, it could even be from in the womb if she was adopted right away. She can do very well scholastically but you need to heal those primal wounds if they are there. Primal wounds left untreated can lead to primal anger that cannot be controlled.

 

[al66pine]

Hi hope you're OK? X

Not sure I believe this was racially motivated, so think the AG has an agenda to secure himself some votes. Not sure it's anything to do with the school or the school district itself either. School is only partly responsible for the students they have, parents/family members/guardians are also responsible for their kids behaviours/outlook on life - they also share responsibility in shaping them into kind, productive people - is the AG going to investigate that element to?
I don't understand how this investigation would benefit Kaylee, when school programmes aren't the issue? Maybe he should spend his time ensuring that schools, their student bodies and teachers as well as local communities are better educated on managing emotions/aggression, providing the schools student bodies and the wider communities in his state more opportunities etc.
This sounds like a hardened and challenged neighbourhood, there's a reason for that and the school district isnt it.
This incident could lead on to many more years of feuding, between friend groups of these two girls, down the line until they don't even remember what they're fighting about. It's senseless and ridiculous. 2 kids lives in tatters. AG would be better placed at investigating what really causes these issues

(Hate politics, mainly cos I don't understand why the people elected to represent the voices of their communities rarely listen to them)
MOO, jmo

@Lyanna Thanks for your wide-ranging post.

"Not sure I believe this was RACIALLY motivated..." (<-my CAPS)
FWIW, re race in the Hazelwood ---
“Hazelwood EAST HS...the total minority enrollment is 99%.” *
Hazelwood School DISTRICT's minority enrollment is 90%.” **
- Black or African American …….. 81.0 %
- White ……………………………………… 12.0%
- Hispanic/Latino …………………………3.1 %
- Two or more races …………………… 2.8 %
- Other minorities (3)…………………<1.0 %. each

CITY of Hazelwood “is covered by the Hazelwood public school district” *** (w city & school district boundaries being coterminous, iirc). Per 2020 census: “city was 45.23% (11,514) white, 43.77% (11,143) black or African-American.” ***

"I don't understand how this investigation would benefit Kaylee..."
AFAICT, it won't. Just an excuse for MO. AG Bailey to garner some votes.

"2 kids lives in tatters."
You nailed it. Ditto their parents, fam members & others.

imo jmo moo
________________________________
* https://www.usnews.com/education/be...od-east-high-school-11656#test_scores_section (I just checked this url & got a 404 message, so will try to update)
** https://www.usnews.com/education/k1...od,of students are economically disadvantaged.
*** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazelwood,_Missouri

 

[branmuffin]

Some kids want to be known as the tough kids, the kids you don't mess with. Always having to prove themselves in the worse possible ways and here is where we end up.

But which student was it, though? The perp in the fight who slammed KGs head against the ground or the one who was suspended for fighting the previous day?

As much as I believe that the 15 year old aggressor should face criminal charges of aggravated assault up to and maybe, depending on the outcome of KGs prognosis, involuntary manslaughter, the additional information that KG was suspended the day before does shed new light on the extenuating circumstances that led up to a brawl.

We initially viewed the videotaped event where KG was grievously injured as a discrete event; one that happened out of the blue, where the aggressor flew at KG and pounded her into the ground. Then we find out the day before KG was suspended for fighting. Then we find out the school seems to be divided into two groups, Team KG and TeamMD. So I'm starting to wonder just how long bullying between the two protagonists has gone on?

Bullying is combination of verbal aggression, physical intimidation, isolating the victim, recruiting followers to get involved, etc. All meant to create mental anguish, diminishment of self worth, depression and fear. Stir in SM and you've got a brew that takes on a life of it's own.

Amanda Todd was bullied so much she ended her own life, yet in reality everyone who bullied her was complicit in her death. She received thousands of texts telling her to kill herself, some as far away as Europe where the people didn't even know her.

So when does someone break? And more importantly, how do they break? And when you break are you the victim or the perpetrator? A good defense lawyer will figure that out.

 

[Stunned]

But which student was it, though? The perp in the fight who slammed KGs head against the ground or the one who was suspended for fighting the previous day?

As much as I believe that the 15 year old aggressor should face criminal charges of aggravated assault up to and maybe, depending on the outcome of KGs prognosis, involuntary manslaughter, the additional information that KG was suspended the day before does shed new light on the extenuating circumstances that led up to a brawl.

We initially viewed the videotaped event where KG was grievously injured as a discrete event; one that happened out of the blue, where the aggressor flew at KG and pounded her into the ground. Then we find out the day before KG was suspended for fighting. Then we find out the school seems to be divided into two groups, Team KG and TeamAggressor. So I'm starting to wonder just how long bullying between the two protagonists has gone on?

Bullying is combination of verbal aggression, physical intimidation, isolating the victim, recruiting followers to get involved, etc. All meant to create mental anguish, diminishment of self worth, depression and fear. Stir in SM and you've got a brew that takes on a life of it's own.

Amanda Todd was bullied so much she ended her own life, yet in reality everyone who bullied her was complicit in her death. She received thousands of texts telling her to kill herself, some as far away as Europe where the people didn't even know her.

So when does someone break? And more importantly, how do they break? And when you break are you the victim or the perpetrator? A good defense lawyer will figure that out.

I'm thinking both had something to prove and both lost.