When Josie Ratley texted Wayne Treasy, following the suicide of Wayne's brother, Wayne snapped according to an NBC Today Show interview with Wayne's parents.
He nearly beat Josie to death.
Here's what CBS reported on March 24,
One week ago, Ratley, 15, was waiting for her school bus after school when BSO investigators say 15-year-old Wayne Treacy attacked her without warning. Authorities say the attack was triggered by a text message dispute. BSO investigators say he got enraged over a text message concerning the recent suicide of his older brother.
Treacy is accused of punching and stomping on the girl with steel-toed boots. He's being held in a juvenile detention center on a charge of premeditated attempted murder.
A 13-year-old girl was also arrested as an accessory to the attack because prosecutors say she knew Treacy intended to hurt Ratley and did nothing to stop him. She even pointed her out to him when he arrived at the school, said BSO.
What this means to those of us concerned about teen violence and the viral spread of rumor via electronic communication, is that when something bad happens, a suicide, for example, siblings, parents, even friends, are at risk.
People do snap.
And teenagers, anxious to be accepted, keep secrets.
Why do they snap?
Modeling by parents is most often cited, as is a predisposition to arousal. Anger management is recognized as a process, not a program, one that doesn't yield immediate results. Therapists know that various diagnoses and vulnerabilities predict events like Josey's beating.
Regardless of the reasons, clearly when the warning signs flicker, trouble will follow. Could this have been prevented?
100%
Linda Freedman
You can find the video on NBC Today.
Prevention initiatives? See Relationship-wise.com, Education-Wise Division.
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