15-year-old girl accused of hammer attack in Schaumburg

By Admin on March 31, 2010

A teenage girl was charged with attempted murder in Monday’s beating and attempted robbery of a 58-year-old Schaumburg man, officials said today.

The 15-year-old girl, charged as a juvenile, allegedly used a hammer during the attack, leaving the victim in critical condition with multiple fractures, officials said. The girl, whose name was being withheld since she’s a juvenile, could be charged as an adult if her victim dies.

During a hearing today, the 15-year-old was ordered held in the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center. In addition to attempted murder, the juvenile charges also accuse the teen of armed robbery and aggravated battery, officials said.

Her 18-year-old sister, Latifa Johnson, was charged with obstruction of justice for helping clean up the bloody scene and for closing her apartment door on the victim rather than calling for help, Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Dave Weiner said.

Police said the beating occurred just before midnight Monday at an apartment complex in the 100 block of Pickwick Drive, where the victim and the sisters all live.

Afterward, Weiner said Johnson’s sister returned to their apartment and told Johnson what happened. Johnson checked on the victim, who was lying outside the apartment bleeding and having trouble breathing, but did not call for help, Weiner said. He added that Johnson was trying to clean up the scene when police arrived, and that her teenage sister talked of throwing the victim into a nearby pond.

Schaumburg police said the 15-year-old confronted the 58-year-old victim with the intent to rob him in the foyer of apartment building while he was checking his mail.

Johnson’s bond was set at $40,000. The victim remains hospitalized at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

 –George Houde

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