Family of teen injured in fight near St. Louis high school says she has begun speech therapy
By Sarah Dewberry, CNN
(CNN) — The family of Kaylee Gain, a Missouri girl who was critically injured during a fight 10 days ago near a St. Louis high school, announced Friday she left the intensive care unit and has “been able to engage in limited verbal conversations.”
“Kaylee also recently began speech therapy, and has gone on a few short walks with the assistance of hospital staff as she is still unable to ambulate on her own,” attorney Bryan Kaemmerer, a spokesperson for Gain’s family, said in a statement. “However, Kaylee does not have any recollection of the altercation that led to her hospitalization.”
Video shows the 16-year-old was punched during an altercation near Hazelwood East High School on March 8.
Gain can be seen in the video getting thrown to the ground and punched in the head by another teen girl. The video also shows her getting her head slammed onto a concrete sidewalk multiple times.
It’s not clear what led to the fight, and police have not publicly identified those involved. But the viral video is connected to the investigation, police spokesperson Vera Clay wrote in an email last week.
Last week, the St. Louis County Police Department wrote in a Facebook post a 15-year-old girl suspect was arrested March 9 and was being held by St. Louis County Family Court on assault charges.
In the Friday statement, Kaemmerer said Gain’s family “echo the recent public statements demanding that the individual that is in custody in this case is tried as an adult.”
Gain’s family has asked that no retaliation occur toward anyone who may or may not be involved in the incident, Kaemmerer said previously.
“Although the family would like justice to eventually be served through the legal system, their focus at this time is dedicated exclusively to Kaylee’s recovery,” Kaemmerer said.
Gain was also involved in another altercation with a different female student on March 7, Kaemmerer said in the Friday release. “Given Kaylee’s current limited ability to communicate, the family does not possess many details about this encounter,” he said. He added it is unclear whether the two altercations were related.
Gain is a student at Hazelwood East High School, he said. The day after the altercation, the Hazelwood School District said it is “a tragedy anytime children are hurt.”
“Bullying and fighting in the community is an issue for which we all need to take ownership and work towards a resolution for the sake of our children,” the district said in a Facebook post March 9.
A GoFundMe page has been set up on behalf of Gain and her family.
CNN’s Steve Almasy, Amy Simonson, Jennifer Feldman, Amanda Jackson and Raja Razek contributed to this report.
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