Adult Suspect Identified In Teen's Beating

ELLIOTT (KDKA) - Dozens stood around and watched as a group of teenagers beat another 15-year-old female in broad daylight earlier this month.

Instead of breaking up the fight, police claim one adult female joined in. Now, she has been identified and is facing multiple charges.

According to police, the woman works at a restaurant near the Zone 6 Police Station. The owner of the restaurant is believed to have identified her to police.

Pittsburgh Police now identify her as 24-year-old Andrea Bennett of Elliott.

KDKA's Brenda Waters Reports:

"In the video that we watched, we counted at least 19 times that she was kicked about the back of the head and the back by the adult," Detective Dawn Mercurio, of Pittsburgh Police.

Bennett initially told police that she knew nothing about a fight and was at work that afternoon. KDKA walked with detectives to the restaurant where Bennett works and learned she had called off sick.

KDKA's Brenda Waters Reports:

"What she said to us was that she got a call that her niece was involved in a fight and she came out to assist her niece," said Detective Eric Morton, of Pittsburgh Police.

KDKA's Brenda Waters: "And her niece was one of the two girls attacking the 15-year-old, allegedly."

Detective Morton: "Yes, her niece was one of the ones that was arrested for attacking the 15-year-old."

A witness and her daughter were both there Thursday, Oct 10. The brawl in broad daylight broke out in the 700-block of Lorenz Avenue in the Elliott section of Pittsburgh and they weren't alone.

"I got a phone call saying, 'Oh My God look at the fight. Come see the fight.' I came up and everyone's outside watching the fight," one woman said. "It was nothing but adults. Drunk people. Everybody watched this brawl go on for a long time."

Initially, police asked for the public's help to identity the adult who joined in the fight after the 15-year-old victim was already on the ground.

"She begins kicking the juvenile in the back and in the head while she was on the ground," an undercover detective said.

Undercover detectives from Zone 6 asked not to be identified as they continue to work the case.

"As you can see from the fight, they were striking the juvenile victim with what appeared to be a rope with a lock attached at the end," the detective said.

Police said one unidentified Good Samaritan was driving by, saw the fight, stopped his truck and got out to break it up.

Witnesses said he was the only one moved to action.

"No one called the cops. No one did anything," the woman said.

KDKA's Rick Dayton Reports:

Police said the woman will be charged with aggravated assault, two counts of the corruption of the morals of minors and conspiracy.

Bennett is being held in the Allegheny County Jail.

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