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Left: Hayley A. Ditzler. Right: Olivia J. Brown (Madison County Prosecutor’s Office). Inset: Evelyn Berentz (Evee Berentz/Facebook).
Two 18-year-old Illinois women stand accused of “mob action” for dragging women into the woods where they beat them up for no apparent reason.
Hayley A. Ditzler and Olivia J. Brown were both arrested for the alleged assaults on Wednesday, according to the Madison County Prosecutor’s Office. Court documents say the charge is filed when a defendant engages in the “knowing use of force or violence disturbing the public peace by two or more persons acting together and without authority of law.”
The complaint, reviewed by Law&Crime, says Brown and Ditzler pulled one victim into the woods on April 18 and repeatedly punched and kicked her in the face, mouth, stomach, arms and legs. According to a bond motion, the defendants present a “continued threat to the victim” and “may harm, harass or interfere with the personal liberty” of the victim.
The complaint not state a motive for the alleged attacks, which allegedly took place in Madison County and St. Clair County, both of which are in southeast Illinois near St. Louis, Missouri.
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While Brown and Ditzler only face charges in one attack, other women have accused the pair of attacking them. Local NBC affiliate KDSK spoke with one alleged victim — a former friend of the teens’ — who said the defendants also dragged her out to the woods where they beat her. The woman, Evelyn Berentz, told the TV station she was hanging out with friends the night of April 18 — the same night Brown and Ditzler allegedly attacked a different victim — when she saw people walking up to the back of her car as if they were about to attack.
“I saw a whole bunch of boys with ski masks on,” Berentz said. “I saw Olivia and Hayley and just drove away.”
Berentz says Brown and Ditzler called her the next day and told her they wanted to apologize and invited her to a home in nearby Caseyville, the TV station reported. Instead of an apology, however, the two teens apparently had something else in mind.
“Hailey covered my mouth from behind me and was telling me if I screamed, she would end my life right there,” Berentz told the outlet.
The victim said the two suspects took her out to the woods and beat her up. They reportedly filmed the ordeal and posted it online. Berentz reposted the video of her attack on her Facebook page in which she apparently she begged her attackers to stop. She suffered scrapes and bruises, but is thankful it wasn’t worse.
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“I know if I wouldn’t have screamed or fought back they would’ve killed me,” Berentz said.
Berentz’s mother Lara McCord is concerned for her daughter’s safety.
“These girls are dangerous,” McCord told the TV station.
KDSK reports that authorities in neighboring St. Clair County are also investigating alleged attacks involving Ditzler and Brown.
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