West Cook News

A Lyons Township High School teacher and her husband have been stoking the social media flames by trying to walk back the brutal attack by sophomore Heavyn Washington at Lyons Township High School against a freshman victim. 

Elizabeth Martinez, a French teacher at Lyons Township High School, and Ricardo Martinez, her husband, who unsuccessfully ran for LT school board last year, have been vocal in the aftermath of the attack and are being accused of misconstruing a false narrative on the social media platform to quell parental anger over the attack. 

“[W]hat I heard from the kids is that there were also punishments for those who cheered and shared the video," Elizabeth said on Facebook on a members-only La Grange community page. "Ironic as it is this (news outlet) and other adults sharing the video too, but that’s a different subject I suppose. The kids at least are being held accountable. The school can’t legally share much beyond what they’ve already said, these are minors.” 

Elizabeth suggested the beating was not a hate crime, despite the vocal use of race by the attackers during the incident.

“A hate crime is one that happens *because* of a person’s racial or sexual identity," Elizabeth added on Facebook, replying to a comment on hate crime. "Something where the victim was selected for that reason alone. This is not that.” 

Elizabeth also seemed particularly concord by the video, which was first recorded and distributed by the attackers involved. 

“They are both children. And this video is being shared recklessly by adults. The children in the video did not consent to being filmed,” she stated.

Ricardo also pitched in on the video’s contents, noting the police did not have to be called, despite the victim seeking medical treatment due to her injuries from the attack. 

“Nobody needs to see a video unless you work at the school — you guys are gross,” Ricardo said. “Mind your own business and let the school mind theirs."

Kyle Uhler called the two out on their commentary, noting that the victim sustained various injuries and "(who) she went to for help sent her back to class and failed to make her safety a priority.” He tells them to stop posting their "concern for the video being seen" as they have "not shown a single ounce of concern or compassion for the victim" but only care about their narrative and not the kids in the video.

“I go to my own town's Facebook page and ask what the hell it’s all about and be honest — if that video is seen, it cuts down the narrative you are trying to sell her and shows a premeditated attack for what it is. An attack that the institution still has not made public statement about, yet staff members of that same institution are on this very Facebook page talking about it,” Uhler said. “Another person here posted that they wonder why parent responsibility has not been addressed — I wonder why you continue to talk about the event and neither you, nor the LT staff member posting on here have shown one ounce of concern of the victim.” 

Washington and her 14-year-old Countryside accomplice planned the beating to be caught on camera. The accomplice's footage of the attack is playing on his phone as Washington approaches the smaller victim unsolicited and strikes her in the face many times before seizing her hair and dragging her across the floor, a video shows.

"Beat her a**, racist a** b****, yes!" the accomplice yelled. "Beat her a** Heavyn, beat her a** h**,” the accomplice yelled as he filmed the beating.

Students have openly said Washington conceited a story about the victim. Washington, an outspoken sophomore, invented the tale that the victim was singing a rap song in the bathroom so she could beat her up, according to Lyons Township students. "Heavyn wanted someone white to go after and she picked this poor freshman girl," a student told West Cook News. "She made up the story that the girl was 'racist' and spread it around the school to torment her. She admitted she made [the story] up to friends.”

The student who filmed the attack took to social media after being arrested for disorderly conduct. He said he got a “17-day suspension and more!” and for Washington, who has been charged with battery in the attack, to “get the justice she deserves.” 

“I need justice for Heavyn. LTHS has never once done anything for any other fight that has occurred at school but once when Heavyn beats someone up, they start doing something, just for me screaming in the video,” the post said, according to West Cook News.

Last week, a second attack happened at the school. The authorities were unable to confirm whether the attack was retaliatory, as had been speculated. "We haven't confirmed one way or the other," Western Springs Police Chief Brian Budds said when asked for information on the event or if it was in revenge for the previous act of violence, the West Cook News reported.