BOSTON — A 12-year-old is among six juveniles and an 18-year-old who are facing assault charges for brutally attacking and beating a 13-year-old boy in the Forest Hills MBTA Station last month.
Surveillance video captured the “vicious attack” and showed 8 to 10 juveniles hitting the young victim, who suffered multiple cuts on his forehead and bruising throughout his body, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said Thursday.
Lucas Goncalves-DePina, 18, was charged in Boston Municipal Court in West Roxbury on Jan. 15 with assault and battery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, shod foot, Hayden said.
Five juveniles, ages 14 to 16, were also charged with assault and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, shot foot, on Jan. 15. The juveniles were arraigned in Dorchester Juvenile Court and will return to court on March 14.
A sixth juvenile, 12, has been charged and will be arraigned at a later date, Hayden said.
On Jan. 14, MBTA Transit police were dispatched to a local hospital and met with the victim, a 13-year-old boy, who reported being assaulted by a group of juveniles, Hayden said.
The victim reported being on a bus from Andrew Square MBTA station to Forest Hills station just before 7 a.m. when a girl sat next to him and told him she wanted to “fight” because he was “spreading rumors” about her.
When the bus arrived at Forest Hills, the victim exited the bus and the girl followed him and struck him in the face multiple times with a closed fist, Hayden said.
The victim was able to get away when an unknown boy placed his arm around his shoulder and walked him toward the bike path.
The victim reported that a group of juveniles walked in the same direction and surrounded him, Hayden said.
The group began to hit the victim with closed fists, he told police. The victim fell to the ground and the group began kicking and punching him in the head and body.
Two adult witnesses intervened to break up the assault, one using his bike to separate the group, Hayden said.
Witnesses told police that most of the group ran away, but that one juvenile would not stop kicking the victim.
Later that day, investigators used still images obtained from surveillance video to identify and detain Goncalves-Depina and the juveniles when they returned to the Forest Hills station, Hayden said.
“I thank the Transit police for their quick work in identifying the juveniles involved in this frightening assault and I’m grateful for the witnesses who assisted this young victim,” Hayden said. “It’s easy for any caring person to imagine the fear this boy must have felt during such a vicious attack.”
Goncalves-Depina was released on personal recognizance. He is due back in court on Feb. 21.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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