The Missouri teen whose head was smashed into the pavement during a viral school brawl must now overcome "significant" cognitive issues following the violent assault, the family's attorney says.
Kaylee Gain, 15, was savagely beaten by another teen girl near Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis on March 8, according to viral video of the fight.
Her head was slammed into the sidewalk several times while she was repeatedly pummeled by her assailant, the footage shows.
Now, nearly a month after the vicious attack, Kaylee's family says although she has made some progress and was recently transferred out of the intensive care unit, she continues to have a long road to recovery.
"Kaylee's ability to walk has slightly improved, but she is still unable to do so without the assistance of the hospital staff," the family said in an update through their attorney, Bryan Kaemmerer, Monday. "However, Kaylee is still showing signs of significant cognitive impairment during the limited conversations that she is able to have, and she tends to reiterate the same short sentences over and over."
"Although Kaylee appears to realize that she is in the hospital, she does not understand why she is there," the family added.
It's unclear what led up to the brawl, during which Kaylee sustained a skull fracture and brain trauma, according to her family.
The teen suspect, who has not been publicly identified due to her age, has been charged with assault.
Meantime, Kaylee's family is pushing for her to be tried as an adult.
"Given the particularly violent nature of this assault, and also taking into account the devastating injuries that Kaylee has incurred, it is difficult to imagine a more appropriate case for a juvenile to be certified as an adult," Kaemmerer said, last week.
