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A pack of boys allegedly pulled the strings in a savage Maui shopping-center beatdown, using two girls as young as 12 and 13 to do the dirty work while they kept would-be rescuers at bay, a victim’s mother claims.
The shocking scene played out Oct. 10 at Whalers Village, a beachfront shopping mecca in Kaanapali, where a group of minors allegedly descended on two girls, ages 13 and 14.
Police are investigating social media footage of the attack — and another alleged assault that followed moments later.
“These boys kind of initiated it and sent the girls in after to carry out that physical assault,” victim’s mom Nicole Bear told Hawaii News Now, describing how the boys allegedly shoved away bystanders trying to help.
Bear said her daughter’s phone was also stolen in the incident, which she insisted was no schoolyard squabble.
“We wanted to make it clear that it was not a fight. It was an attack,” she said.
Maui police arrested two juvenile girls, ages 12 and 13, on robbery allegations. Both were released to their parents under a family court decision.
“Two juvenile females were arrested for robbery and released to their parents per family court,” Lt. Grant Hutaff-Nakamura of the Maui Police Department’s Juvenile Crime Prevention Division told HNN.
The release has struck a nerve with Bear, a teacher at Lahainaluna High School, who warned that young offenders need to face consequences before their behavior spirals.
She argued that letting kids walk away without a meaningful deterrent risks teaching them that violence is acceptable.
The case adds to a troubling string of youth violence in the resort area. Just three months earlier, a brawl at a Kaanapali resort landed eight teenagers in custody, including kids as young as 14.
Whalers Village, packed with upscale stores, restaurants and beachfront attractions, draws vacationers but is also a popular hangout for local youths and workers.
Hutaff-Nakamura urged parents to keep closer tabs on their children rather than leave them to roam the streets.
“The most important thing for the parents is to be involved in your children’s lives,” he said, advising families to keep kids occupied with activities such as sports.
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