STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 15-year-old girl was sprayed with bleach and a hair removal product and punched in the head when she was attacked by a mob of teens during a melee near New Dorp High School after dismissal Tuesday afternoon, the victim’s mother told the Advance.
The frightening incident happened at the corner of Hylan Boulevard and New Dorp Lane, when one girl poured a bottle of water filled with the chemicals on the 15-year-old girl’s head, chest and sweater, the mother said.
Shortly after, another girl allegedly punched her in the head.
The mother requested her daughter’s name not be published for fear of reprisal.
The woman said several teens were involved in the attack, including some who go to New Dorp and others who go to different schools around the borough.
“My daughter turned around to defend herself and then everybody else jumped in,” the mother said.
A video of the ensuing melee shared with the Advance shows a mob of teenagers fighting, with police eventually intervening to break up the altercation.
Just moments before the attack, the girl was on the phone with her mother.
“All of a sudden I heard a bunch of girls screaming and chaos and then the phone cut out," the mother said. “So I am calling my daughter, trying to fly from where I work over to New Dorp High School to get my daughter because I think she is being killed right now.'”
Unable to reach her daughter, the terrified mom arrived at the gas station.
“There was a sea of police,” she said of the scene.
A witness at the gas station located at the corner described the incident as “a lot of chaos.”
“These kids were beating the crap out of each other,” he said. “And when the police came, they were throwing punches at the police.”
TAKEN TO STATIONHOUSE
The girl was not at the scene when her mother arrived.
Police had already handcuffed her and took her to the nearby 122nd Precinct stationhouse, along with several other teens, her mother said she found out from a witness at the scene.
After about 45 minutes without having a conversation with her daughter, police eventually released the girl, the mother said.
“She came out and her hair was crusted and looked like straw, frizzled and fried,” the mom said. “I had to put her jacket in a bag because it smelled so bad it was burning my throat."
Immediately after being reunited with her daughter, the woman took her home to shower and wash the chemicals off of her body.
“My daughter took a shower and her hair started falling out,'' the mother said. “She was crying and very shaken up and upset. She felt humiliated.”
The mother said she took her daughter to Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze to make sure she didn’t have any further injuries.
Police confirmed that they responded to the scene.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested and charged with unlawful assembly and disorderly conduct and a 13-year-old girl was arrested and charged with unlawful assembly, an NYPD spokeswoman said. She did not have any information about the assault or assault charges.
The NYPD did not respond to a specific question about the girl being taken to the stationhouse.
Officials from District Attorney Michael E. McMahon’s office confirmed the incident is under investigation.
A spokeswoman for the city Department of Education said the agency was aware of the situation.
“Safety is always our top priority, and the NYPD immediately responded to an off-site, non-school-related incident," Education spokeswoman Isabelle Boundy said. "We are providing additional support to the school community, and will continue to closely monitor and support this school.”
Councilman Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island) said that he has been in contact with the NYPD and New Dorp High School and has requested more MTA buses to make dismissal faster.
“We believe this can help avoid any further potential conflicts," Matteo said. "The safety of our students is paramount and collectively we will continue to do all we can to ensure their well being.”