thethingzuneed asked: Eight teenagers were arrested on charges of kidnapping and battery in Lindsay’s attack: April Cooper, 14, Mercades Nichols, 17; Brittni Hardcastle, 17; Kayla Hassell, 15; Brittany Mayes, 17; Cara Murphy, 16; Zachary Ashley, 17; and Stephen Schumaker, 18. All posted at least $30,000 bond and were released from the Polk County Jail. Nichols, Hardcastle and Mayes also face a count of tampering with a witness. Ashley and Schumaker served as lookouts during the beating, sheriff’s officials have said.
While speaking to the emergency dispatcher, the mother of Lindsay’s friend, who was not identified in the call released Tuesday by the Sheriff’s Office, told the operator the teen had blood in her mouth, a knot on her eye and may have broken a tooth.
I am a nurse, and she doesn’t look too good right now, the woman said. She’s shaking all over.
The mother told the 911 operator that her daughter also had trouble with these same girls . . . They just are toughies around town.
A state criminal-records search conducted by the Orlando Sentinel showed Cooper, Nichols and Schumaker each had been arrested prior to the beating. Cooper was arrested in November on a misdemeanor battery charge by the Mulberry Police Department.
Nichols was arrested on Valentine’s Day on a felony count of aggravated stalking after an injunction for protection was filed against her and also a related misdemeanor charge for allegedly harassing a Lakeland male.
Schumaker was arrested in 2006 on charges of burglary, marijuana possession and larceny.
Neither the State Attorney’s Office nor the Department of Juvenile Justice would comment on any of the arrests or disposition of the cases because, they said, juvenile records are not public record.
