What should have been a festive Opening Day in downtown Cincinnati turned into a nightmare for one 13-year-old girl, who relatives say was brutally attacked by a group of teenage girls as she walked from Washington Park toward Republic Street. The assault, caught on cellphone video and now circulating online, left the girl with swelling and bruising serious enough to send her to the hospital. Her family and community advocates say they are not letting this go, vowing to push for accountability and the return of the girl’s stolen belongings.
In the cellphone footage, the girl is seen on the ground as multiple teens kick, punch and yank her hair. Family members told reporters the attackers took her purse, two phones, AirPods and a necklace before leaving her injured on the street. The victim spent several hours in the hospital, where a Cincinnati police officer later met the family to help them file a report. “They could have really killed her,” the girl’s aunt said, according to WCPO.
Sheila Nared, director of the Trauma Recovery Center in the West End and a relative of the victim, said the center will work with the girl and her family on legal, emotional and physical recovery. She also announced a community healing vigil for April 18 at Laurel Playground. “We got to find out who these ladies are and get them off the street,” Nared said, urging residents and officials to confront gaps in youth supports. The family says it wants everyone who appears in the video held accountable and the girl’s belongings returned, as reported by WCPO.
Opening Day Setting
Washington Park runs spring programming that includes an Opening Day celebration that draws large crowds and heavy foot traffic on Reds opening weekend. The park’s event calendar lists festival-style activities that coincide with the home opener, according to Washington Park.
Youth Violence and Community Response
Local reporters and advocates say attacks like this are part of a wider and deeply worrying pattern of youth violence and trauma in Cincinnati, which has put intense strain on families and first responders. Recent reporting has highlighted increases in violent incidents involving young people and the long-term mental-health toll on both victims and emergency personnel. WLWT has documented those trends and the impact on local communities…