Two teenagers from Illinois have been accused of mob action for reportedly assaulting multiple women in two counties in western Illinois near St. Louis, Missouri.
According to KDSK, charges were brought against Hayley A. Ditzler and Olivia J. Brown, both 18 years old, on Wednesday by the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office for their alleged involvement in the incident on April 18.
Legal documents indicate that a mob action charge is lodged when a defendant participates in the “intentional use of force or violence disrupting public order by two or more individuals acting in concert and without legal authorization,” as reported by Law&Crime, which has obtained a recorded statement detailing the accusations against the two teenagers.
One woman told KDSK that the incident began for her on Friday night when she was hanging around with friends outside Granite City and “saw a whole bunch of boys with ski masks on.”
“I saw Olivia and Hailey and just drove away,” Evelyn Berentz told the station.
The next day, the two teenagers — former friends, she said — called her to a home because they wanted to apologize. Instead, she was attacked.
“Hailey covered my mouth from behind me and was telling me if I screamed, she would end my life right there,” Berentz said.
Berentz was taken into the woods and kicked and punched on several parts of her body by the two teens, who reportedly filmed the incident.
Court documents say the 18-year-olds used a similar tactic to attack another woman.
Berentz filed for a restraining order against the two teens as investigators probed the incident.
KDSK said that authorities in St. Clair County are also investigating incidents allegedly involving Ditzler and Brown.
