Third Suspect Charged in Teen Beating

Sauk Village, IL - A third teen was charged as an adult late Tuesday in the beating, burning and degrading of a South Chicago Heights girl in an attack caught on cell phone video in south suburban Sauk Village.

Dusty Miller, 17, of Steger was charged Tuesday night with aggravated battery in the June 2 attack, according to Sauk Village police Detective Robert Grossman. Miller's bond was set at $20,000 during a Wednesday hearing for her role in the attack, Cook County State’s Attorney’s office spokesman Andy Conklin said. "She drove the getaway car," he said.

Miller allegedly drove the attackers from the scene of the attack, a trailer park playground near Candlelight and Torrence avenues, in Kraft’s car. Police heard of Miller’s role in the attack early on, but she was the last person to be picked up, Grossman said. Two other teens were charged as juveniles in the attack earlier this week.

The girls, 15 and 16, were each charged in juvenile court with a single count of aggravated battery, state's attorney's office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton said. The 15-year-old, who lives in Crete, is accused of cutting the hair of Mercedes Michaels, 17, in the Sauk Village trailer park.

Egged on by Sarah Kraft, 17, she also used a car cigarette lighter to burn Michaels' face and arm, Simonton said, adding that the 16-year-old allegedly held Michaels down and kicked her. Kraft, of the 100 block of Westwood Drive in Park Forest, is charged as an adult and remains in the Cook County Jail, held on $75,000.

Prosecutors have portrayed her as the ringleader of the assault that was captured on cell phone video and distributed in the neighborhood and then to broadcast TV.

Marcelena Castillo, 17, of the first block of West 37th Street in Steger, also is charged as an adult and is free on $25,000 bail.

Miller, Castillo and Kraft are scheduled to appear in court for preliminary hearings on June 25, Conklin said. The young man who shot the video that brought the case to light will not face charges, according to police.

"We believe that this was preplanned," Grossman said.

But the amateur videographer who captured the scuffle on his cell phone is low on the list at this point, Grossman said.

"The guy took the video is not affiliated with either of these groups of people," Grossman said.

"He just happened to be there." So it'll be hard to prove in Illinois that the guy recording the fight committed any crime, Sauk Village police Chief Tom Lacheta said.

"Citizens don't have to react, unfortunately," he said.