Juvenile charged with assault and battery, breaking 16-year-old’s jaw
BOSTON, July 30, 2025 – A Braintree juvenile will return to court next month for an incident where he beat a 16-year-old victim, leaving him with severe facial injuries that resulted in jaw reconstruction surgery, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
The juvenile, 16, was arraigned in Dorchester Juvenile Court last week on one charge of assault and battery causing serious injury.
Judge Tiffanie Ellis-Niles released the juvenile on personal recognizance and ordered him to stay away from and have no contact with the victim. The juvenile will return to court on August 27 for appointment of counsel.
On May 11 around 1 p.m., Boston police took a walk-in report for an assault and battery at Pope John Paul II Park on Hallet Street in Dorchester. The victim’s mother told police her son, 16, was assaulted the prior evening around 8:30 p.m.
The mother said that her son had gone to the park to hang out and drink with his friends. During the gathering, the accused juvenile became upset when his ex-girlfriend showed interest in the victim. The juvenile asked the victim to take a walk with him.
When they were alone, the juvenile punched the victim in the face. The victim lost his balance, hit his head, and fell unconscious. The victim said he heard ringing in his ears and was awoken by the juvenile on top of him and punching his face and chest.
Others in the gathering observed a large amount of blood on the ground. One called the victim's mother and she drove her son to Boston's Children's Hospital.
The victim sustained multiple facial injuries, including several fractures and permanent damage to his teeth, requiring numerous surgeries, including reconstruction of his jaw.
The juvenile later texted the victim to apologize. According to the victim’s mother, before the incident, the two were best friends.
“The injuries here are lasting and traumatic and I wish this young man a full recovery, both physically and emotionally. It’s tragic that the defendant chose to turn what was apparently a friendship into a violent encounter, ending with one person suffering severe injuries and another facing criminal charges,” Hayden said.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Our office handles more than 20,000 cases a year. Nearly 160 assistant district attorneys practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Boston and Chelsea Juvenile Courts and the Supreme Judicial Court. Our office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs for anyone encountering the criminal justice system. We are committed to educating the public about our mission and services while focusing on crime prevention to keep the residents, workers and visitors of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications