14-year-old accused of trying to drown Black youth in pond released to father as case proceeds

CHATHAM, Mass. (AP) — A 14-year-old white boy indicted last month on charges of attempted murder and assault in Massachusetts after investigators said he tried to drown a Black youth in a pond on Cape Cod has been released to his father.

Another court hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday.

After a hearing last month in Barnstable Juvenile Court, the 14-year-old had been ordered held without bail.

Kevin Reddington, who represents the 14-year-old, said he is going to be living with his father, will have to adhere to curfews and wear a GPS device.

Reddington said the teens were friends and things got out of control.

“It’s just a sad situation,” he said. “But I don’t see that there was any intent to murder the young man.”

The incident occurred on July 19 at Goose Pond in Chatham when the 14-year-old met at the pond with the alleged victim and another juvenile, according to Cape and Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois.

After meeting, the 14-year-old white juvenile male picked up a stone and threatened the Black youth, referring to him with a racial slur, investigators said.

Before entering the water, the Black juvenile put on a life vest and told the others he couldn’t swim, according to authorities.

Once in the water, the 14-year-old pulled on the life jacket submerging the alleged victim four to five times and causing him to experience breathing distress, according to prosecutors who said the third juvenile laughed at him calling him “George Floyd.”

The 14-year-old then swam under the Black juvenile and tried to grab his feet to try to pull him under the water, according to investigators.

The incident ended when a bystander on the beach intervened.