The family of a teenager critically injured after a house party says the charges filed by Glynn County investigators aren’t enough for the pain he endured.
“At the end of the day, he was mistreated in inhumane ways,” Trent Lehrkamp’s family said in an online statement. “Trent was humiliated, being hosed in a chair and the joke of social media videos, and being taped to a chair and posed with in pictures; it is disgusting...A vulnerable 19-year-old was made to be a sick joke of someone’s disgusting fun and games. The family has reached back out to the investigators.”
Five people were arrested Monday and charged for their alleged roles in the incident that left Lehrkamp critically injured after a house party, Glynn County police said.
Carlton J. Strother, 46, and Lauren C. Strother, 56, both of Glynn County, were charged with maintaining a disorderly house and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, interim Glynn County Police Chief O’Neal Jackson said. Edward Rooker Hobby, 17, was charged with battery. All three were booked into the Glynn County jail Monday and later posted bond, jail records showed.
Two juveniles, whose names were not released, were also charged, Jackson said. One was charged with simple battery and trespassing and the other with possession and use of drug-related objects, police said.
Lehrkamp, 19, was breathing just six times a minute when he was dropped off at Southeast Georgia Health Center the evening of March 21, according to police.
He was unresponsive after consuming a combination of vodka and antidepressants, and Lehrkamp’s blood alcohol level was .464, nearly six times the legal limit. His clothes were soaked in urine, he had spray paint all over his body and hair and a small bruise on his shoulder, according to an incident report.
“Since the start of this investigation, investigators remained in contact with Mr. Lehrkamp and his family and kept a clear line of open communication, advising of the status and updates on the progress of this case, and we continue to wish the victim well towards his recovery,” Jackson said Monday during a press conference.
The GBI is assisting with the investigation, Jackson said.
The March 21 incident started at a house party on St. Simons Island, according to investigators. Roughly 11 juveniles were at the house party, nine juveniles were at a separate incident involving Lehrkamp and some were seen at both, Jackson previously said. Photos and videos captured by bystanders were posted to social media, authorities said.
“Trent was visibly taped to the chair, he was visibly spray painted,” the family’s statement said. “There also was a video shared with the police from the night when he came home and was once again spray painted, covered in a glue-like substance, sprayed with WD-40, and dripping wet from being hosed. It is hard to believe and (Monday) was the first the family heard that he consented to being hosed down.”
The family said Lehrkamp is still receiving care but continues to deal with anxiety, fear and grief.
The case remains under investigation, Jackson said. Anyone with information, video, photographs, or other potential evidence is asked to contact the Glynn County Police Department via Silent Witness at 912-264-1333 or 911silentwitness@glynncounty-ga.gov.
“There were a lot of juveniles that were at both incidents and nothing was (said) when they were occurring,” Jackson previously said. “So I would ask that folks not be afraid to speak up. This incident may not have even been reported if the victim didn’t end up in the hospital, which is really sad.”
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