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Mother of 12-year-old attacked by adults on far east side seeks accountability

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INDIANAPOLIS — Terra Griffin said her 12-year-old daughter is terrified to come back to Amber Woods apartments after video shows she was beaten up by adults and another child.

Video shows her daughter being punched, kicked and smacked.

The fight inside the apartment happened after a run-in between kids at the apartment complex park.

"It stemmed with my 7-year-old having an altercation with another 7-year-old," Griffin said.

But when the 12-year-old got her 7-year-old sister and went home, the video shows a crowd showed up and kicked in the door.

Griffin wasn't home at the time, but her friend Sherika Harvey was.

"I hear boom, boom. A guy coming through the door. He said B, sit the **** down. He had a gun. I froze up from helping," said Harvey. "I couldn't protect her daughter, my daughter, or me. I had to follow the rules while hearing a child get beat and you can't do nothing."

IMPD is investigating the case and is asking witnesses to come forward who might be able to identify the people in the video.

Griffin wants accountability soon.

"Now, here we are a week later, and there are still no arrests. I need something to be done because this is unacceptable. My daughter is 12, she didn't deserve that at all in no way shape or fashion," said Griffin.

She said her children are afraid.

"It's not OK for adults to abuse a child but also hold them at gun point and to do it around other kids — other kids seen it. Other people's kids were out here. They are traumatized. My daughters are traumatized, can't sleep at night. It's too much," said Griffin.

"It's wrong," said Harvey.

Griffin is furious but wants parents to teach conflict resolution.

Tamara Harris echoes that.

"We have to stop this out pour of violence in our community and we always say that we need to do better. For something as simple as a 7-year-old playground fight, adults witnessing that they should've been mature to where the fight should've never carried on to this extent," she said.

She also doesn't want this to be "OK" or "normal."

"Even though it's considered a low income housing, people are treating this as if this is a gun pool and it's not. It's not a blood pool where communities have to endure violence just because they are living in a low-income subdivision," said Harris.

"What we want is justice for Trinity," said Harris.

IMPD asks if you have information to send it to CRIMESTOPPERS at 317-262-TIPS.

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