Tecumseh Student Faces Possible Assault Charge

A 12-year-old Tecumseh Middle School student is recovering at home after he was brutally attacked at school Tuesday morning.

Joseph Skinner's mother Danielle Davis said her son had been texting the alleged 13-year-old attacker the night before.  She said her son and the other child were calling each other names, and in return the student said he would beat Joseph up at the school the next day.  

The name calling continued at school.  As Joseph walked out of the cafeteria, Davis said he was punched in the face and kicked and punched in the stomach by the student.   

Police were called to the school, but left soon after.  "We were feeling like this was just a fight that happened on the school campus and go through the school, let them handle the disciplinary actions like they would with any normal fight," said Tecumseh Assistant Police Chief J.R. Kidney.

Joseph's mother said police and school officials didn't take her son's injuries seriously until they told him he had to undergo emergency surgery Tuesday night.  "They found he had a fracture in his orbital bone around his eye and the muscle and nerve were caught in the bone," said Davis.

She said Joseph could have permanent eye damage.

School officials won't comment on disciplinary actions, but police are now investigating and said the alleged attacker could face an assault and battery criminal charge.  

"Due to the extent of the injuries to the victim we felt it necessary to pick up the juvenile suspect and take him before a district judge in Pottawatomie County and let them hear the case and decide where to go from there," said Assistant Chief Kidney.