Four students at the Loganville High School in Georgia are awaiting an indictment related to their assault of another student. The teens are accused of conducting an attack in which they allegedly forced the student into a bathroom stall, poured bleach on him for unknown reasons and called him several homophobic slurs.
According to WSB-TV, authorities responded to an April 1 call about a male student being locked and doused in bleach in a bathroom within the school theater’s dressing room. “I thought it was very messed up. It was a very messed up incident,” an unnamed student told journalist Larry SpruillI of the incident. “I couldn’t believe it. I heard it was like three girls and they started bullying a boy in the bathroom. They started pouring bleach and saying mean things and stuff like that.”
Cops arrived to the scene, and the bullies — 17-year-old Kelsey Juliana Hayes and three juveniles between the ages of 14 to 16 — were taken into police custody. Hayes is being charged as an adult for false imprisonment and has since been released on bond. Her juvenile accomplices face charges of simple battery, false imprisonment and reckless conduct.
“The Loganville Police Department and particularly our School Resource Officers take cases and allegations of this nature with the utmost seriousness,” Police Chief Dick Lowry said in the wake of the incident. “We do not tolerate bullying behavior in any shape, form or fashion, for any reason, and I believe the charges made in this case reflect that stance.”
Loganville High School also issued a statement, announcing that an investigation is underway.
“School leaders at Loganville High School were made aware of a student incident that occurred before Spring Break at an after-school extracurricular activity,” wrote school officials in a statement. “Student safety is a top priority and school officials are investigating the incident and working with law enforcement officials to ensure the district’s code of conduct and legal charges are appropriately enforced.”