- Trenton Lehrkamp, 19, was subjected to torture, humiliation and assault, according to a GoFundMe page.
- Glynn County Police Department said officers responded to the hospital on March 21 after three juveniles took Lehrkamp there.
- Police said they served search warrants and interviewed several juveniles and Lehrkamp about what happened.
Police in Georgia’s Glynn County have provided an update on their investigation into an incident that left a teenager hospitalized, after disturbing reports about what transpired circulated online.
Trenton Lehrkamp, 19, was picked up from his house on Tuesday night by “people who he thought were his friends,” according to a GoFundMe page set to up to raise funds to pay his medical bills.
“Trent wouldn’t know until it was too late that these were not friends, but vile and abusive perpetrators who would go on to torture, humiliate, and assault him in inhumane, terrifying ways for hours.”
The organizer, Erika Keller, wrote that Lehrkamp was dropped off at a hospital, where he was put on a ventilator and battled fevers and a lung infection. The page has collected more than $34,000 in donations in less than a day.
The Glynn County Police Department said officers responded to the Southeast Georgia Health Center at around 10:40 p.m. on March 21 after the hospital reported that a person had been brought in with a high level of intoxication.
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“The hospital reported three juveniles had pulled up to the Emergency Room and told staff they had an individual in the vehicle they needed to bring in,” police said in a statement on Sunday.
The juveniles registered their names with the ER, but left the hospital after asking staff if they could do so before officers arrived.
Lehrkamp was being treated for a high level of intoxication “from a mixture of controlled substances and alcohol,” police said.
Reports on social media alleged Lehrkamp had been bound with tape, forced to ingest massive amounts of alcohol and other substances and sprayed with paint.
The teenagers involved documented it on Snapchat before taking Lehrkamp to the hospital, according to the reports.
Officers “did not see any signs of physical injury” on Lehrkamp, but “did note the presence of spray paint,” police said.
They also said that detectives determined that videos that have surfaced on social media are of a prior incident involving Lehrkamp and not the incident on March 21.
In the early morning hours of March 22, detectives served a search warrant on a residence on St. Simons Island, where that incident occurred.
“Numerous items of evidence were collected and recorded related to this investigation,” police said. “Supplemental search warrants were also served on Wednesday, March 22, to gather further evidence.”
Police said detectives interviewed several juveniles associated with the incident and are continuing to conduct additional interviews.
The incident involved several current and former students in the Glynn County School System, according to a message that was sent to families on Monday and provided to Newsweek.
“We are aware of the allegations of an off-campus incident that involved several of our former and current students,” the message said.
“At this time, the Glynn County Police Department is actively investigating this matter, and we are cooperating. Please know that we take very seriously all concerns regarding the safety and wellbeing of our students, both on and off campus.”
On Sunday, police interviewed Lehrkamp at the hospital.
“He was alert and conscious and gave a statement about what transpired on the evening of Tuesday, March 21,” police said. “The victim and his family are fully cooperating with GCPD and the investigation.”
Recovering in the Hospital
An update on the GoFundMe page said Lehrkamp is in a stable condition recovering in the intensive care unit.
“The anguish he suffered, it’s sure to be a long recovery…emotionally and mentally as well,” the organizer wrote. “He is still lightly sedated as he is very panicked and anxious when awake.”
Newsweek has contacted the organizer for further comment.
The police department said it has been consulting with the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office, and the Glynn County District Attorney regarding the investigation.
Newsweek has also contacted the police department and Glynn County Schools for further comment via email.
Anyone who may have information is urged to contact the Glynn County Police Department via the Silent Witness program by calling 912-264-1333 or by email at [email protected].
Update 3/27/23, 10:45 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with information from the Glynn County School System.
