An 11-year-old white girl has been charged for subjecting a 10-year-old black girl to a racially charged beating, police tell CNN.
Three white girls allegedly used "racially motivated language" while beating up a black child on a bus in Gouverneur, New York. According to police, the victim received a black eye, bruised knee, and some of her hair was pulled out as a result of the altercation. After conducting an investigation, two of the suspects—ages 10 and 11—were arrested and charged with one count of second-degree aggravated harassment. The 11-year-old was also hit with an additional third-degree hate crime charge, which is a felony offense in the state of New York.
"It's not very often that we charge a hate crime in the village of Gouverneur," Gouverneur police Sargeant Darren Fairbanks said.
St. Lawrence County District Attorney Gary Pasqua told CNN that the district doesn't prosecute anyone under the age of 13. As a result, the parents of the suspects have been referred to juvenile court. But, Pasqua did state that "the hate crime elevates the underlying offense."
Along with the children, the 28-year-old bus monitor was charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Police felt as though she witnessed the incident and "did not make an effort to stop and/or prevent said behavior." The superintendent of the Gouverneur Central School District, Lauren French, has asked First Student—which is the bus company that is used by the district—to provide additional training for bus aides and monitors.
'[This] is probably the most professionally devastating event since I started working at Gouverneur in 1984," French said. "I firmly believe we are better than this and we have to take a stand."
First Student has yet to issue a comment on the incident.
