Legal News for Florida Criminal Attorneys. The Deerfield Beach girl who was severely beaten by a young teen is conscious after being in a coma for almost a month.
News for Florida criminal lawyers- Deerfield Beach Middle School beating victim out of coma; suffered traumatic brain injury.
Deerfield Beach, FL—Josie Lou Ratley, the middle school girl who was in a coma for almost a month after being brutally beaten by a high school student, is now conscious, though her recovery will reportedly be lingering process. The Deerfield Beach Middle School Student, who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and cannot speak, is expected to undergo yet another surgery on Monday, April 19, 2010, as a means of repairing the parts of her skull that were severely injured and damaged in the vicious March 17th attack, according to information provided by CBS4 and previous coverage by Justice News Flash.
The horrifying incident occurred right after Deerfield Middle School students were released from their classes just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17, 2010. The 15-year-old culprit, identified as Wayne Tracy, apparently ran up to 15-year-old Josie Lou Ratley and immediately punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground where she seemed to be unconscious. Tracy then proceeded to “smash her head on the pavement,” violently kick the teen and reportedly stomp on her head with his steel-toe boots. The aggressive encounter came to an end when a teacher arrived at the scene to pull Tracy off of Ratley.
As a result of the beating, Ratley had to undergo surgery to reduce the swelling in her brain. According to the victim’s attorney in a news conference Wednesday morning, April 14, 2010, “Josie is now awake and doctors have conducted a series of exams and tests on her. Unfortunately, the results of that testing have confirmed their worst fears. Josie has experienced a traumatic brain injury. The area of the brain that has been most damaged is to the area that includes the ability to communicate. Josie cannot speak, Josie cannot walk and Josie has limited function in her right arm, right hand and right fingers… Josie will require extensive and long-term rehabilitative care, including physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Finally, Josie is scheduled to undergo surgery next Monday, April 19th.”
Wayne Tracy apparently received text messages from Ratley, in which she reportedly taunted him with regard to the death of one of his family members, prior to the in-school attack. Tracy is currently being detailed in a juvenile detention center as prosecutors determine whether he will be charged for first degree attempted murder as an adult or a juvenile.
Legal News Reporter: Sandra Quinlan- Legal News for Florida Criminal Lawyers.
