Jason Rios simply wished a burger.
The 15-year-old from Watts sat down with a buddy for dinner at an outside patio at Freedom Plaza off Century Boulevard on Tuesday when, with out warning, three boys attacked Jason and his buddy from behind, beating them as they scrambled for canopy.
Nobody intervened, in accordance with Humberto Rios, Jason’s older brother. There have been no safety guards current as Jason fell to the bottom and shielded his head together with his arms whereas his attackers kicked and punched. The assailants appeared to single out the boys and didn’t attempt to rob them, in accordance with household.
“We don’t suppose he stated something to those different folks earlier than they attacked him,” Humberto Rios stated.
The straight-A scholar from Simon Tech Excessive College underwent an eight-hour emergency surgical procedure after the assault to cease bleeding in his mind. His buddy was additionally hospitalized. On Wednesday, police arrested a juvenile on suspicion of tried homicide; two different suspects stay at giant, Los Angeles police said in a news release.
“There’s no clarification for why this occurred,” Jason’s older sister Nayeli Rios stated. “Jason by no means goes out. We at all times ensure that to drive him to and from college. He simply stays at house and performs video video games like Fortnite.”
Jason turned 15 on Could 10, just a few days earlier than the assault. He requested his mom to let him go on a typical teenage outing — burgers with a buddy. His household relented and instructed him to verify he had his cellphone on, Nayeli Rios stated.
On Monday, Jason and his buddy ate burgers on the outside patio on the Behavior Burger Grill. Like a typical teenager, Jason got here house and performed video video games with out elaborating about his dinner. He relayed to his household that it was uneventful.
On Tuesday, Jason went again together with his buddy to the identical outside patio. Shortly earlier than 7 p.m. they had been attacked. The attackers repeatedly punched and kicked Jason within the head. He fell, however was capable of get again up and run away, Humberto Rios stated.
Humberto Rios then described what occurred subsequent.
The teenager stayed inside the Freedom Plaza and ran to a close-by Panda Expres,s the place he known as his mom in a panic. She might inform her son had been attacked, however she couldn’t make out a lot else as a result of his speech was slurred. .
“She couldn’t perceive him. Solely half of his phrases had been popping out of his mouth,” Humberto Rios stated.
She drove to the Panda Categorical, however didn’t see something out of the unusual: no ambulances, no police automobiles.
She walked across the restaurant and located her son mendacity on a patio bench. He appeared up however was unable to say something.
The property administration firm at Freedom Plaza didn’t instantly reply to requests for touch upon Friday.
The household took Jason to MLK Group Hospital in Willowbrook. However medical employees didn’t imagine Jason had been attacked or didn’t appear to note that the boy was vomiting blood, stated his sister, Nayeli Rios.
“A physician requested Jason if he was drunk,” she stated. “They didn’t appear to imagine he was attacked and struck within the head.”
Jason was unable to maintain his eyes open and was trembling whereas ready for medical consideration, in accordance with his household.
MLK Group Hospital didn’t instantly reply to requests to remark concerning the Rios household‘s expertise, however what is obvious is that Jason was ultimately capable of get a CT scan of his mind. Medical doctors discovered bleeding in his mind, Nayeli Rios stated. He was transferred to Harbor-UCLA Medical Heart in Torrance and brought in for emergency surgical procedure. Jason was in surgical procedure for almost eight hours, Humberto Rios stated, and got here out round 6 a.m. on Wednesday with a tube down his throat.
Nayeli Rios noticed that her brother’s shaggy hair had been shaved for the surgical procedure and he was solely capable of see out of 1 eye as a consequence of swelling. Medical doctors eliminated the tube from his mouth Thursday morning and lowered his sedation, Humberto Rios stated. Half awake, Jason’s phrases got here out garbled or too low for anybody to listen to. All his household might do was maintain his hand.
On Friday he underwent a second surgical procedure, Nayeli Rios stated. Jason’s household have arrange a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for his medical expenses.
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