KEARNEY, Neb. — Two 17-year-old boys from Kearney’s Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center face felony charges after allegedly assaulting a female staffer and taking her keys, then escaping in February.
The teens are charged as adults in Buffalo County Court with felony first-degree assault and robbery of the staffer on Feb. 24 at the youth center, and escape from the facility.
One of the teens also is charged with felony strangulation resulting in serious injury.
The duo fled from the center after the alleged incident. It’s unclear where or when they were apprehended, although Buffalo County Jail records say they were booked into the facility Friday.
Court records outline the case against them:
Around 12:49 a.m. Feb. 24, a female staffer reported being attacked by the pair after one of the youths asked for ibuprofen.
As the staffer got to the door of that youth’s room, the second youth sneaked up on the staffer and knocked her work radio to the side, making it useless.
The staffer was then pushed into the room. The youth who had sneaked up on the staffer allegedly punched her in the left eye. The youth who asked for medication put his hands on her throat, nose and mouth, and threw her to the ground. Her keys were taken from her pocket during the alleged assault.
After the staffer summoned help, she initially received an ice pack, then was transported to the hospital, where she was treated for her injuries and released.
A portion of the incident was captured on video surveillance.
According to court records, the woman has been in constant, severe pain and unable to work since the incident.
