Kansas boy accused of beating young black girl with pipe while yelling racial slurs

A boy has been hit with criminal charges after allegedly beating up a young black girl with a pipe while shouting racial abuse.A boy has been hit with criminal charges after allegedly beating up a young black girl with a pipe while shouting racial abuse.

The boy, 12, who has been kept anonymous because of his age, yelled slurs at Nevaeh Thomas, 11, while she was playing outside in Kansas City on Friday, her mother told local outlet WGAF-TV.

Nevaeh replied that "my black is beautiful" before the boy allegedly picked up a pipe and hit her across the face, her mother added – leaving Nevaeh with a deep cut on the cheek and bruising.

She was reportedly still recovering from the assault three days later on Monday.

The boy has been charged with aggravated battery and is being kept under house arrest, said Steve Howe, district attorney for local Johnson County.

He added: "Probably one of the chief things that the court wants to do is get an evaluation to determine what are the underlying factors that are causing this behaviour.

"One of the things that we have seen through this whole shut down and Covid-19 is kids have been acting out. Luckily, most of the behaviour is pretty minor," he went on.

A lawyer for Nevaeh's family urged people to help change the mindset of anyone close to them with a racist outlook.

LaRonna Lassiter-Saunders said: “[It's] not for us to decide his intention behind it. All we know is that he used racial slurs, he hit this little girl,” .

“I do want to say to the public and America in general…we’ve done a lot of talking. Now it’s time to act.”

She added: “Change yourself, hold your family, your neighbours, your friends accountable.”

 Reference: Kit Heren 2 days ago:Evening Standard: 04/09/2020