BOSTON — A 16-year-old boy from Braintree is accused of beating and breaking the jaw of another teen his age, allegedly over a teen girl, at a Boston park, the district attorney said.
The brutal attack is said to have happened after the boy’s ex-girlfriend showed an interest in the victim. The two boys were “best friends” prior to the incident, the victim’s mother told police.
The accused teen was not identified because he is a juvenile.
He was released on personal recognizance after his arraignment on a charge of assault and battery causing serious injury in Dorchester Juvenile Court last week, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said Wednesday.
Judge Tiffanie Ellis-Niles also ordered the boy to stay away from and have no contact with the victim.
The 16-year-old victim has had “numerous” surgeries for the injuries he suffered in the assault, including surgery to reconstruct his broken jaw, Hayden said.
“The injuries here are lasting and traumatic and I wish this young man a full recovery, both physically and emotionally,” Hayden said Wednesday.
“It’s tragic that the defendant chose to turn what was apparently a friendship into a violent encounter, ending with one person suffering severe injuries and another facing criminal charges,” Hayden said.
On May 11, around 1 p.m., Boston Police took a walk-in report for an assault and battery at Pope John Paul II Park on Hallet Street in Dorchester.
The victim’s mother told police her 16-year-old son had been assaulted the night before at around 8:30 p.m.
The mother told police that her son had gone to the park to hang out and drink with his friends.
During the gathering, the accused juvenile became upset when his ex-girlfriend showed interest in the victim, Hayden said. The boy asked the victim to take a walk with him.
“When they were alone, the juvenile punched the victim in the face. The victim lost his balance, hit his head, and fell unconscious,” Hayden said. “The victim said he heard ringing in his ears and was awoken by the juvenile on top of him and punching his face and chest.”
Others in the gathering saw a large amount of blood on the ground.
One bystander called the victim’s mother, who drove her son to Boston’s Children’s Hospital.
The victim suffered “multiple facial injuries, including several fractures and permanent damage to his teeth, requiring numerous surgeries, including reconstruction of his jaw,” Hayden said.
The juvenile later texted the victim to apologize, the district attorney said.
“According to the victim’s mother, before the incident, the two were best friends,” Hayden said.
The accused teen is due back in court on Aug. 27.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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