Trent Lehrkamp: Cops identify 9 'bullies' involved in brutal hazing of Georgia boy, 19
GLYNN COUNTY, GEORGIA: Police have identified all nine of the teens involved in the brutal hazing and torture of Trent Lehrkamp, leaving the 19-year-old fighting for his life. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has also joined the probe, but no arrests have been made yet, an action that is being heavily criticized by citizens hoping for justice.
Police have seized 11 cellphones and controlled substances after Lehrkamp was pictured covered in glue, vomit, and urine surrounded by his alleged abusers. The teenagers then left an unconscious Lehrkamp in a hospital and fled whereas the 19-year-old was placed on a ventilator in an ICU unit after his breathing dropped to a rate of six breaths per minute while suffering from a sky-high 0.46 blood alcohol level, on March 21. However, his condition has since been stabilized, and he was discharged from the hospital on Saturday and is now receiving psychiatric therapy.
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Trent Lehrkamp hazing: Georgia teen, 19, was tortured twice before by same boys that left him in ICU
'Psychological part of the trauma'
Even though citizens continue to question the police's lack of action, the Lehrkamp family says they have faith in the Glynn County Police Department. "We're trusting the process," said Lehrkamp's father's girlfriend Jamie Lee Linna. "Of course, our main focus is Trent, but we've been in communication and we're cooperating with the investigation," Linna added. She further said, "Trent is moving on to the next steps of care at one of the top facilities in the country," as per Daily Mail. "He's been medically cleared so this is for us to deal with the psychological part of the trauma," she stated.
Following Lehrkamp's discharge he released a statement saying, "I'm alive and doing well and I'm recovering." "Just know, it's going to be a long time for me to get over this - through the trauma. But one day, hopefully within the next few months or so, I might be back. But justice will be served," he added. Linna described herself as a mother figure after Lehrkamp's mother died in 2021, followed by the death of his grandmother and grandfather. "Obviously, the trauma that he's endured is enormous, losing a mom and then he lost his grandmother and then he lost his grandfather all within a short time," she said.
'It's terrible for anybody to endure that'
Furthermore, Linna said how she and his father repeatedly warned him to stay away from the teenagers after they smeared him with WD-40 and other substances in a previous incident. "We had conversations with Trent to tell him to quit hanging out with them," she said. "Again, he's 19. So we would tell him he's got to do something about this. But he said 'no, they're my friends,' He didn't want to do that. And that had to be his choice," she added.
"I pleaded with him. I said, 'They're not your friends, this is sick.' They're going to hurt you. This is not good. People who care about you don't do this,'" Linna revealed. The family highlighted how they tried to not think about pursuing criminal investigation but alleged they don't want others to suffer like Lehrkamp. "Something has to be done, so this doesn't happen again," Linna said, before adding, "It's saddening, it's saddening that kids would do this to other kids. It's so awful. It's terrible for anybody to do endure that kind of hurt."
The Glynn County Police Department is asking anyone with information to contact them via phone or email: 912-264-1333 or 911silentwitness@glynncounty-ga.gov.