If an 18-year-old from Okeechobee, Fla., was going to physically assault a 16-year-old with autism, it is least fortunate that the aggressor was as stupid as he was vicious. Andrew Wheeler, the assailant, allowed the attack to be recorded, and a posting of it on Facebook led to his arrest. An adult who allegedly stood idly by and allowed the attack to occur was also arrested.
Station KTLA learned from the victim that he was invited to a party where he was plied alcohol, then instructed to go outside and fight someone. When he refused, Wheeler was called, and the beating commenced.
In the incident report [the victim] claims Wheeler followed him outside, choked him until he lost consciousness and struck him in the face.
A police officer later found the victim after midnight lying in the road on Southwest 6th Street. He was then transported to a hospital.
A doctor said the victim suffered a sprained neck, facial and scalp contusions and a concussion.
While at the hospital, the officer said he learned the video was posted to Facebook and that it was tagged to a Facebook profile with the name Andrew Wheeler.
Upon viewing the video, the officer noted that a detective recognized Wheeler in the video punching and kneeing the victim. Other people were standing around while the video was being recorded, according to the report.
Police located Wheeler on Sunday and placed him in custody.
Wheeler insists he received a call that there was “a drunk guy” at a party who refused to leave. He further maintains that the unidentified autistic teen was himself aggressive and began punching and pushing another person at the party. Wheeler has been charged with child abuse without great bodily harm. Police have also arrested Evadean Dailey Lydecker and charged her with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor. She lives at the home where the alleged attack happened.
Of the video, Okeechobee City Police Chief Denny Davis said:
I think the video is disgusting. It is just as upsetting to myself and my officers as it is to anyone else that viewed it. Absolutely no way would we ever attempt to cover up anything like that. So it’s very disturbing.
The video, which is below, is indeed hard to watch.
