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 arrested for alleged assaults on Wednesday, per the Madison County Prosecutor’s Office. Court filings indicate a 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.”
According to the complaint scrutinized by Law&Crime, Brown and Ditzler allegedly dragged a victim into the woods on April 18 and proceeded to punch and kick her repeatedly in various parts of her body. A bond motion highlights that the defendants pose a ongoing threat to the victim and could potentially “harm, harass or interfere with the personal liberty” of the victim.
The complaint does not provide a motive for the alleged attacks, reported to have occurred in Madison County and St. Clair County, both located 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.
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