BILLINGS — Charges have been issued following a late February attack of a 15-year-old girl, according to Billings police.
The attack was caught on video and has been circulating on social media in recent days. The video shows two females kicking and stomping a 15-year-old girl in the parking lot of the Albertsons on Central and 6th Avenue West at 1:30 a.m.
The teenager who was attacked has been identified to MTN News by her mother, Debra Miller, as Madison McKnight. Miller said her daughter is healing from the intense attack, where she was beaten repeatedly and then left in the parking lot bleeding. She sustained injuries to her head and face.
Miller said she hasn’t been able to watch the video, even though she knows it's out there. The disturbing footage shows Madison laying on the concrete in a pool of her own blood, curled up as the females kick and stomp on her. “They had no remorse. They were laughing. They were videotaping it. They were, you know, thinking that this was funny,” said Miller.
“The... lack of morality, that these people have, and the lack of concern for another human being, regardless of what precipitated this whole thing is just astonishing to me,” said Miller.
When the attack was over, Miller says her daughter found the strength to stand up and walk to a nearby Holiday gas station to get help. She was then taken to the ER by ambulance. “Her whole right side of her face was completely swollen beyond recognition,” said Miller. “But the physical wounds will heal, the emotional ones is what we're struggling with right now.”
The Billings Police Department said they’ve issued citations against two 17-year-old females and 19-year-old Dylann Rushman-Douglas, all of Billings. The three face felony charges of robbery and accountability to robbery.
Police Lt. Brandon Wooley said more charges are likely to come in the case as the investigation is ongoing, Wooley said that during the attack the female suspects were seen on video taking items from the victim’s pockets and that explains the robbery charge, which includes physical harm. “Assault is an element of the robbery,” said Wooley.
The females have not been taken into custody at this point. Instead, all are being issued "notice-to-appear" orders because the Yellowstone County jail and youth detention facility are not accepting inmates because of COVID-19.
Rushman-Douglas is set to appear in Yellowstone County Justice Court on May 12, according to Wooley.
