2 Teen Girls Sexually and Physically Assault 16 Year Old Boy with Autism

You know those fears we have deep down for our kids, the stories we fear are happening, the things we know can happen and we just pray they will not happen to our family, our children. This is a big one of those. I've written a lot about puberty and my concerns about Nick's potentially inappropriate behaviors, and I've had parents with developmentally disabled children share stories about the ways their child is managing exploration, inappropriate touching  to full on sexual abuse, and it's almost always upsetting. At the same time, I experience a secret sign of relief when the sexual abuse, didn't turn into the kind of physical violence that kills. Because there is a part of me that fears people who abuse our kids in these dark ways, think so little of them and are so aware of how easy it is to abuse them, and care so little for them crossing this line would not be hard to do. When I talk about how critical inclusion is, how we have to keep our kids in general education settings, and active in our communities, introducing our neighbors to our children it's because it's up to us to educate the community to make sure people know our children are precious and loved because people are still the best safety net we have. 

Two teenage girls in southern Maryland bullied an apparently autistic 16-year-old boy into performing sexual acts and crashing through pond ice in episodes they captured on cellphone video, authorities said Wednesday.

The girls, ages 17 and 15, threatened the teen with a knife, kicked him in the groin and dragged him around by his hair, said St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Cara Grumbels. They coerced him into walking on a partially frozen pond and then refused to help him out of the frigid water, she said.

Grumbles said the boy got out himself, but the prank could have turned deadly.

"You're dealing with somebody who doesn't have the mental capacity of you and I," she said. "Somebody like that could go into a kiddie pool and may not be able to get themselves out. That's what's really kind of disturbing to us, among the other allegations in this case. The whole thing's just very disturbing."

She said investigators haven't found any of the video online.

The 17-year-old, Lauren A. Bush, of Mechanicsville, was charged as an adult Tuesday with first- and second-degree assault, false imprisonment and solicitation for child pornography. She was released on her own recognizance.

The 15-year-old was charged as a juvenile with the same offenses and referred to the state Department of Juvenile Services. The sheriff's office didn't release her name.

Grumbles said both girls acknowledged they committed the offenses. A call to Bush's home wasn't returned. No defense

attorney was listed in court records.

Grumbles said the boy's parents told police he is autistic and police described him as having "diminished mental capacity."

She said all three teens attended Chopticon High School in Morganza.

Police learned of what happened from a parent of the younger girl who had seen the video on her daughter's phone, Grumbles said. The parent showed it to a sheriff's deputy who works in the school, she said.

Grumbels said there is no evidence other students joined the bullying.

She said more charges are likely as investigators list offenses for each episode that authorities say occurred from early December to early February.