14-year-old arrested after bodyslamming 10-year-old during standoff at school

A 14-year-old student was arrested Tuesday for body-slamming a classmate to the ground during an altercation outside Citrus Grove Middle School.

It was about 4:30 p.m. and classes had finished at the school at 2153 NW Third St., when a 10-year-old threw a styrofoam cup of ice at the older student, hitting him in the face. The two were on the sidewalk outside of the school, but on school grounds.

The 14-year-old responded by picking the 10-year-old up and body-slamming him to the ground. The child was hit in the head and was dizzy, though he did not lose consciousness.

“He picked him up and threw him down. There was no fight beforehand,” said Miami-Dade Public Schools spokeswoman Daisy Gonzalez.

Gonzalez said the injured child is in sixth grade, and the older student is in eighth grade.

The 14-year-old, who hasn’t been named, was arrested and charged with battery. The 10-year-old was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in stable condition. He was kept overnight for observation.

The 14-year-old appeared in court Wednesday morning. Miami Herald news partner CBS4 reported that outside of the courtroom his mother said her son was the victim.

“This kid was picking a fight constantly and would come and punch my kid in the arm,” Barbara Elenberg told CBS4.

Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho called the teen’s response “absolutely unacceptable,” CBS4 also reported.

This story was originally published October 25, 2017 at 12:32 PM with the headline "14-year-old arrested after bodyslamming 10-year-old during standoff at school."