Kaylee Gain’s family gives new update on her condition after fight near Missouri high school
The 16-year-old was critically injured in an altercation which was caught on camera and went viral on 8 March
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
A teenager who was critically injured in a fight outside a school in Missouri is now taking steps towards recovery, but she cannot remember the incident that put her in intensive care.
In an update on Friday, the attorney for Kaylee Gain’s family said she had been able to have “limited verbal conversations” after weeks in a hospital bed.
The 16-year-old was left with a skull fracture and bleeding and swelling on the brain following the attack in St Louis on 8 March, which was caught on video and shared widely online.
She then spent some weeks in a critical condition, making it out of the intensive care unit around a week ago.
Now attorney Bryan Kaemmerer says the teen has now been able to have some limited conversations.
"Kaylee also recently began speech therapy, and has gone on a few short walks with the assistance of hospital staff as she is still unable to ambulate on her own," the attorney told NBC News.
"However, Kaylee does not have any recollection of the altercation that led to her hospitalisation."
The fight happened near Hazelwood East High School, at the intersection of Norgate and Claudine Drives, with footage showing Kaylee’s head being slammed into the ground by another teen.
Shortly after the incident, police arrested a 15-year-old girl, who has been held by the St Louis County Family Court on assault charges.
Last week, St Louis County Police Department said it had referred eight more juveniles to the court.
The three 16-year-old males, one 17-year-old male, one 14-year-old female, two 16-year-old females, and one 17-year-old female were not in custody, the department said.
There have been reports on social media that Kaylee had been involved in a fight with another girl the day before the one which put her in the hospital. Mr Kaemmerer confirmed this and said both were suspended as a result.
The attorney also addressed rumours that Kaylee’s mother had driven her to the location of the fight on 8 March, which he denied, saying she was at work at the time.
St Louis County PD has faced two violent incidents involving teenagers in recent weeks, with a middle school student stabbed to death.
The department’s Colonel Kenneth L Gregory said in a press release that parents and citizens needed to talk to children about violence and its consequences.
“We, along with our community, are saddened by the loss of life and severe injuries these young people have suffered,” Colonel Gregory said. “We also cannot ignore the life-changing circumstances affecting the families of those responsible for these heartbreaking events.
“There is a disconnect between our children and acceptable conflict-resolution behaviours.”
The Colonel urged kids to think about the “grave consequences” of fighting over issues, rather than talking or asking for help.
The Independent has approached Mr Kaemmerer for further comment.