A Missouri teen whose head was severely hit on the pavement during a viral after-school assault is showing “signs of significant cognitive impairment” and repeats the same thing repeatedly after waking up from a coma. It’s repeating.
Kaylee Gein, 16, appeared to be aware she was in the hospital, but had no idea why she was there, and said she didn’t remember the scuffle with another teenage girl. the family’s attorney said in an update Monday.
Her lawyer, Brian Kemmerer, said the girl’s ability to walk has improved with help, but her speech is still limited.
“Kaylee’s ability to walk has improved slightly, but she is still unable to walk without assistance from hospital staff,” Kemmerer said in an update.
“However, Caylee still shows signs of significant cognitive impairment with limited conversation and a tendency to repeat the same short sentences over and over again.”
Gane was pinned to the ground by an unidentified 15-year-old girl and repeatedly smashed her head into a concrete block in an attack on March 8 away from Hazelwood East High School in Spanish Lake. He suffered a skull fracture and brain hemorrhage.
A 15-year-old boy was arrested and charged with assault.
Gane’s family said the younger girl is now reportedly trying to apologize for the severe beating. Ms Gein’s family also said they were backtracking on previous criticism of the suspect who attacked her daughter, saying he had posted insensitive comments about the brawl on social media.
The family later claimed that the social posts (including a joke about how the beatdown would qualify her to “join MMA or WWE”) were shared by someone impersonating the defendant and were not legitimate. Kemmerer said on Monday.
“The family is encouraged by the public statement from those associated with the defendant that they wish to apologize to Caylee for the incident,” the attorney said.
But even though she appears remorseful, Gein’s relatives still want the suspect who hit her to be tried as an adult, he said.
Meanwhile, the girl’s anonymous family said the girl had been “harassed and bullied” and was defending herself before the scuffle, which was caught on camera.
The family launched a Change.org petition asking 21st Circuit Court Chief Juvenile Officer Rick Gaines to show “sympathy” and not prosecute the honor student as an adult.
“She had never been in trouble until March 8, when she was defending herself against harassment and bullying,” the letter reads. “Her work as an academic was tainted by the bullying she had to endure at school.”
