'Knockout game' lands autistic Covington teen in hospital

A Covington teen with autism is recovering in the hospital after he was knocked out in what some people call the "knockout game." The boy was struck so hard his jaw was broken in two places and he underwent surgery.

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"He has autism he would never hurt anybody," said a Covington mother who did not want to be identified.

The woman believes her son was the victim of the knockout game. The 17-year-old is still recovering from a blow he never saw coming.

"They cannot think that its OK, because it's not, and I don't want them to think they got away with," she said.

The boy was walking home from the library when the attack happened. His mother says he passed a group of teens who went to a nearby high school.

"All of a sudden the boy in the maroon shirt came up from behind him punched him from behind in his face he fell to the ground," his mother said.

"That child was not bothering nobody at the park, and they are going to follow him all the way over here to do something like that," said neighbor Charles Certain, who lives nearby. He called the police.

The boy's mother said he had to be taken to the hospital.

"They confirmed that his jaw was broken in two places and had surgery Saturday morning. He now has four plates and 15 screws in his mouth. He can't open his mouth any more than a half inch and is now on a completely liquified diet for the next eight weeks," she said.

Word of the attack spread quickly on social media and throughout the neighborhood.

Certain keeps a close eye on his grandchildren. He believes kids from another part of the community come to his area looking for trouble. He believes that's how the attack happened.

"Some kids out there think they are grown. They're bad. But somebody out there is going to be badder than them," he said.

The Covington police chief tells WDSU the incident is isolated.

Detectives were back at the scene on Tuesday afternoon. Police said they are working to see if there are any surveillance cameras that may have captured the attack.

Anyone with information that can help police is asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-111.
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