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BY DEBORAH LAVERTY
dlaverty@nwitimes.com
219.762.1397, ext. 2223 | Wednesday, June 18, 2008 | (77 comment(s))
CROWN POINT | The parents of the 15-year-old Hobart girl accused of severely beating a high school classmate said they're also seeking answers as to what happened and why.
Both Wendy Bullock and Michael McCammon said Tuesday their daughter, Brittney McCammon, is a typical teen who had never been in any major trouble prior to the June 4 incident in which she is accused of beating 16-year-old Jamie Rodriguez, of Hobart, outside a downtown restaurant.
"No trouble at all. ... I never thought she'd do something like this," Michael McCammon said.
"That's not Brittney," added Wendy Bullock.
Both also were quick to pass along their hopes for the continued improvements in the recovery of Rodriguez, whose initial injuries were so severe she had to be airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill.
"We want her to get better," Michael McCammon said.
The parents came to Lake County Juvenile Court for the initial hearing for their daughter before Lake Juvenile Court Magistrate Glenn Commons.
Commons set a July 15 pretrial hearing for Brittney McCammon and ordered an investigation by the probation department on whether or not she should be waived to adult court given what he termed the nature of the offense.
The judge assigned public defender Robert Schwerd to the teen's case when her parents told him they couldn't afford the expense of hiring their own attorney.
Charges against McCammon were upgraded last week from battery with serious bodily injury to attempted murder and felony battery.
The prosecutor's office also is asking that the teen be waived to adult court, Lake County prosecutor's office spokeswoman Diane Poulton said.
Commons ordered McCammon, who already has received an initial psychological evaluation, to also receive a neurological evaluation.
She will remain in the Lake County Juvenile Detention Center until her next hearing, Commons said.
Her parents say their daughter, who has told them she is sorry for what happened, is shouldering all the blame for the fight despite their belief that there were more teens involved.
"Someone talked her into it," Michael McCammon said.
Rodriguez, who was released from the hospital after a few days, still faces ongoing physical therapy and psychiatric sessions as well as facial surgery to correct a broken nose and severely blocked nasal cavity, said her father, Primo Rodriguez.
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Wait till they see wrote on Jun 25, 2008 12:33 PM:
Ignorance wrote on Jun 25, 2008 9:34 AM:
Logic wrote on Jun 25, 2008 9:30 AM:
HEY.....YOU KNOW WHAT wrote on Jun 24, 2008 2:31 PM:
I love how.... wrote on Jun 24, 2008 10:40 AM:
Interested wrote on Jun 23, 2008 12:19 PM:
Bullied once..... wrote on Jun 23, 2008 12:02 PM:
rage unleashed wrote on Jun 23, 2008 8:38 AM:
L wrote on Jun 21, 2008 3:33 PM:
A Victim of Crime wrote on Jun 20, 2008 2:50 PM:
So do I blame the other young man's mom for his actions? Absolutely not. She is a wonderful lady who did everything she could to raise him right. Just like her, these parents are searching for any explanation for WHY their daughter would so violently and brutally attack another human being. I would imagine that they could only hope that one possible reason is that, "Someone talked her into it." Of course, no parent wants to think that their child is capable of such a heinous act.
So, as a parent, I can imagine their heartache over this. However, that does not minimize my belief that Brittany must be held accountable for her actions. We stayed on top of the case against the kid that stabbed my son and he will be sentenced at the end of the month for his crime.
God bless them all. "
TOM wrote on Jun 20, 2008 2:31 PM:
Mom Sounds Like Obama wrote on Jun 20, 2008 12:47 PM:
Valpo Resident wrote on Jun 20, 2008 11:27 AM:
"Whoops, McCammon made a mistake, that's all," is a foolish stance. Real world consequences and justices for these girls' actions and experiences is what should be demonstrated. "
do not feel bad wrote on Jun 20, 2008 10:54 AM:
Keep in mind that the victim is Jamie and her parents are the ones suffering along with her- not Brittany and her parents. If your child needed help and you failed to do so, it is no surprise that something like this happened. No pity goes out to Brittany or her parents. "
Get Control wrote on Jun 20, 2008 8:32 AM:
stop it before its too late wrote on Jun 20, 2008 3:15 AM:
Jennifer wrote on Jun 20, 2008 12:59 AM:
ms p wrote on Jun 19, 2008 4:38 PM:
Get Real wrote on Jun 19, 2008 3:28 PM:
Mother of wrote on Jun 19, 2008 1:25 PM:
Just another case.... wrote on Jun 19, 2008 12:50 PM:
Shock wrote on Jun 19, 2008 12:46 PM:
Had it not been for the boy that tried to stop Brittney, we would be talking about Jaime's memorial service. "
to Wake up People wrote on Jun 19, 2008 12:46 PM:
to all the lawyers wrote on Jun 19, 2008 12:32 PM:
Hobart Parent wrote on Jun 19, 2008 11:15 AM:
Dan Blankenship wrote on Jun 19, 2008 11:12 AM:
One teen is in need of physical healing.
One teen is in need of mental reconciliation.
We live in a world of false messages, weak values, and huge spiritual detours.
Jamie Rodriguez needs our prayers.
Brittney McCammon needs our prayers.
These teens live in a world where Ultimate Fighting, MySpace, and YouTube become larger than life.
Self-discipline, respect, and integrity have little room for public display in today’s world.
I pray Jamie Rodriguez makes a full recovery, and that Northwest Indiana takes her under their wing, financially and spiritually!
I pray Brittney McCammon embraces real change, real compassion, and real love before it is too late.
God can change anyone, heal anyone, and move on any population. "
me wrote on Jun 19, 2008 10:40 AM:
Valpo Resident wrote on Jun 19, 2008 9:56 AM:
There is no way this is the first time McCammon has done something like this. Maybe not to this degree, but I am confident she has been a bully her whole life. I am also confident many will come forward during her trial to confirm this.
Is anyone really surprised at McCammon's parents' reaction? Would anyone really expect them to admit they WEREN'T surprised? "
My..oh..my wrote on Jun 19, 2008 9:02 AM:
Chris wrote on Jun 19, 2008 8:41 AM:
Teach her a lesson. This girl has nothing better to do. Her parents should wake up! "
Valeree wrote on Jun 19, 2008 7:12 AM:
TO Hobart Teacher wrote on Jun 19, 2008 6:42 AM:
SS wrote on Jun 19, 2008 6:13 AM:
Parental denial wrote on Jun 19, 2008 4:41 AM:
So Cal Ron wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:49 PM:
Fact #1 Brittney was witnessed beating the victim to such a degree as to nearly cost the victim her life.
Fact #2 While the victim laid on the ground, the attack continued with Brittney stomping on the victim's head with her feet.
While ultimate guilt or innocence will be played out in the courtroom, the court of public opinion has spoken. Brittney is as guilty as sin and she knows it. This time there is no one that can make this go away. With the facts as they are and the witnesses that point to her guilt, the best Brittney can do for herself is to take a plea bargain if it is offered. If her case is waived into adult court and is heard by a jury, she will lose.
The court of public opinion has spoken loud and clear. "
Hobart ResidentParent wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:37 PM:
George McFly wrote on Jun 18, 2008 10:01 PM:
Hobart Teacher wrote on Jun 18, 2008 8:40 PM:
So Cal Ron wrote on Jun 18, 2008 6:54 PM:
Union Twp Resident wrote on Jun 18, 2008 6:26 PM:
Mariam wrote on Jun 18, 2008 5:24 PM:
To Wake up people wrote on Jun 18, 2008 4:12 PM:
To Wake up people wrote on Jun 18, 2008 4:00 PM:
A good kid does NOT beat someone senseless.
I don't care if it was the first time she has been in trouble - teach her a lesson NOW before she kills someone next time. "
WHAT wrote on Jun 18, 2008 3:57 PM:
Unbelievable! How can someone TALK another into beating someone within an inch of their life? This young lady had a choice - and she made the choice to do this to another human - sorry but she SHOULD be tried as an adult.
I would be ashamed if this was my daughter and I most certainly would NOT be making comments like the above.
How sad. "
To alawyer from alawyer wrote on Jun 18, 2008 2:50 PM:
Was her intent to kill the other girl, I would say Brittney has no concept of what death is. She saw no reason to stop.
Whose fault is that..the responsible adults raising her. "
juice wrote on Jun 18, 2008 2:21 PM:
to alawyer wrote on Jun 18, 2008 1:32 PM:
--------------------
Do you think the beating stopped because she was concerned about what she was doing to Jamie? No the beating only stopped because someone stronger stopped her. Jamie probably would be dead had the beating continued. Sounds intentional to me. "
to alawyer wrote on Jun 18, 2008 1:18 PM:
Only wrote on Jun 18, 2008 1:08 PM:
Kathy wrote on Jun 18, 2008 12:53 PM:
Parents to blame wrote on Jun 18, 2008 12:37 PM:
Lack of reasoning wrote on Jun 18, 2008 12:36 PM:
alawyer wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:13 AM:
whatever wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:06 AM:
To Wake Up People wrote on Jun 18, 2008 10:59 AM:
So Cal Ron wrote on Jun 18, 2008 10:49 AM:
#1 Good girls might make mistakes but they do not commit crimes that have the potential to kill someone.
#2 The only reason she has never been in any "major" trouble is because she has never been caught. She has likely been in "not so major trouble" plenty of times and has always been bailed out.
#3 Even if someone had told her to commit this crime, she had a choice. When she could have said no, She went ahead and beat this other kid so bad that she could have died from her injuries.
#4 If she really really feels bad at all: It's because she got caught and no one will be able to bail her out of trouble this time. She hopes that the other girl does not die because she doesn't want the murder charge. "
D. Villarreal wrote on Jun 18, 2008 10:37 AM:
It will be OK wrote on Jun 18, 2008 10:37 AM:
Brittney got caught wrote on Jun 18, 2008 10:29 AM:
Now Wendy and Michael have figured out they have "civil liability" for their 15 year old bully and may incur "MONETARY DAMAGES" "
Police Officer wrote on Jun 18, 2008 10:06 AM:
Marcus wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:48 AM:
She had no regard for that girl's life. "
Crafty wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:45 AM:
Give me a break wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:42 AM:
S.G. wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:35 AM:
E.C.puente wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:31 AM:
frustrated wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:26 AM:
wake up people wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:01 AM:
Poor baby wrote on Jun 18, 2008 8:18 AM:
To Wake up people wrote on Jun 18, 2008 8:12 AM:
Please wrote on Jun 18, 2008 7:36 AM:
mk wrote on Jun 18, 2008 7:34 AM:
This also shows that parents don't know their children the way they think they do. Teens lie like many other people to get away with things and to prevent their parents from knowing what they really do. She just needs psycological help. To find out where the anger and rage came from. Especially if she's never been in a fight before that people know of. "
Carol wrote on Jun 18, 2008 7:20 AM:
It's so sad, even if it's right in front of them. "
wake up people wrote on Jun 18, 2008 7:07 AM:
Homer J. SImpson wrote on Jun 18, 2008 7:06 AM:
Lisa wrote on Jun 18, 2008 7:01 AM:
JT wrote on Jun 18, 2008 4:02 AM:
Talked her into it wrote on Jun 18, 2008 12:55 AM: