An 11-year-old girl is recovering after being the victim of a brutal racist attack at the hands of a 12-year-old boy, the Kansas City, Kansas Fox affiliate reports.
Nevaeh Thomas was playing with her friends near her apartment building on Friday night when the boy, whose race has not been reported, started to verbally harass her. After he spewed several racial slurs at her, Thomas reportedly decided to stand her ground by affirming that "my Black is beautiful." The suspect then allegedly knocked her unconscious with a pole.
"She suffered from a concussion. She has stitches inside and outside of her cheek. She lost her tooth," Thomas' mother Brandi Stewart said. "Her feelings are more hurt because of the act of, the racial act. Not so much of the scaring."
People in the community are calling on the authorities to charge the unnamed boy for assaulting Thomas.
"Hate speech has become the norm. Violence has become the norm. It’s seeped into our children," Empowerment Temple pastor Terry Bradshaw said.
Longtime resident Serena Mabin expressed concerns over the attack. "It’s kind of concerning because I have children that are different races," Mabin said. "My son is a Black boy and you never know what’s going to happen."
Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe confirmed that the 12-year-old boy has been identified and will be charged with felony aggravated battery. Howe also revealed that hate crime charges could be levied against the minor.
