Police: Montgomery High student held girl to bathroom floor and punched her over 30 times in the face

A Montgomery High School student punched, kicked and ripped out the hair of another student Tuesday in a girls bathroom at the school, Santa Rosa police said.

The 14-year-old girl was arrested about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at her home on Charles Street in Santa Rosa after police watched a video of the assault captured by another student, Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Patricia Seffens said Wednesday.

She was booked into Sonoma County Juvenile Hall in Santa Rosa on suspicion of two felony charges of assault likely to cause great bodily injury and robbery.

Officials have not released the girl’s name because she is a minor. And the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office and juvenile hall did not disclose information Wednesday morning regarding whether or not she was still in custody or would be charged in Sonoma County Juvenile Court.

The girl was one of four female students who followed the victim, another 14-year-old girl, into the bathroom about 1 p.m., surrounded her and blocked her exit.

The girl then began attacking the victim ― punching her face and head at least 30 times, kicking her twice in the head and ripping out “large amounts” of hair as she held her to the floor, Seffens said.

In videos of the encounter obtained by The Press Democrat, the victim is not seen engaging in the fight.

The victim was standing up as a girl delivered the first few blows to her head. After a few punches, the victim crouched to the floor and put her hands over her head and face as the girl held onto a piece of the victim’s hair and continued punching as the victim held her phone in her hand.

A witness is heard yelling, “Get your (expletive) beat.”

The girl eventually let go of the victim’s hair, used both hands to punch her and then grabbed more hair and yanked her onto her back. She was hitting with her fists and eventually grabbed and threw the victim’s phone as watchers shouted, “Kick her.”

She then kicked the victim’s head twice.

The girl dragged her by the hair again and continued hitting her until someone touched her arm, seemingly indicating it was time to leave.

Most of the students then left the bathroom except for three girls who stood and watched, Seffens said. They then took off with the girl after the fight, and one of them had the victim’s phone.

Other students who witnessed the assault reported it to school officials, who tried unsuccessfully to apprehend the four students running toward Mayette Avenue. Officials later discovered the victim’s phone near the road.

Police were contacted about 1:20 p.m., and when they arrived on campus all four students were gone.

The victim had moderate injuries to her head and her parents took her to a hospital. She was later released.

Though her injuries were deemed moderate, any head injury is considered serious, Seffens said.

“Any time there is a head injury for anyone but especially a kid, even minor to moderate injuries can turn life threatening as time goes on,” she said. “It’s such a sensitive area to injure.”

Montgomery High School Principal April Santos sent a letter to parents Tuesday describing the “serious assault” and the school’s response.

The other three girls involved were not arrested. School officials are still looking into the role they played in the assault, Sgt. Matt Crosbie said in a police department news release Wednesday morning.

An investigation is ongoing, including determining a possible motive for the attack.

Staff Writer Alana Minkler contributed to this story.

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @madi.smals.