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On January 15, Louisiana State University student Madison Brooks died in a car accident after she was allegedly s*xually assaulted by a group of men.
On Sunday, January 22, a 17-year-old suspect turned himself in due to his reported involvement in the assault. The individual, whose name has not been revealed because he is a minor, was supposedly the first individual in the group to make contact with Madison Brooks at a Baton Rouge bar near the LSU Campus.
Three other suspects turned themselves in the next day, on January 23. An Advocate identified them as Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, Casen Carver, 18, and Everett Lee, 28.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of abuse. Readers' discretion is advised.
Madison Brooks was allegedly assaulted by the group of men before she was hit by a car
The men were accused of taking an inebriated Madison Brooks into their car. It was after this that the 17-year-old suspect and Kaivon Washington allegedly assaulted her. She left the vehicle on Burbank Drive at 3 am, where she was fatally hit by a rideshare driver.
All four men identified in the incident face assault-related charges.
In the arrest document regarding Madison Brooks' alleged assault, it is stated that suspect Casen Carver acknowledged the moment that the group of men decided to target the victim.
As per ABC7 Chicago, Carver said:
"(She) was very unstable on her feet, was not able to keep her balance, and was unable to speak clearly without slurring her words."
Carver mentioned that the 17-year-old suspect approached Brooks and held her in his arms while walking with her. He said that he was asked to give the victim a ride and that he initially agreed as he was supposedly concerned about her safety.
The statement continued:
“He admitted that he agreed to give her a ride because he did not want to leave her while very intoxicated and the bar was closing up."
As per the warrant, the 17-year-old suspect repeatedly asked Madison Brooks if she wanted to get intimate with him. Carver claimed that Brooks provided 'verbal consent'. However, the victim's blood alcohol level at the time of her death was 0.319%, meaning she was not in a position to give consent.
Carver claimed that soon after, Brooks argued with the boys, prompting them to drop her off.
In an interview with WAFB, attorney Ron Haley acknowledged that while Brooks could not legally provide consent, the charges faced by the boys were too harsh.
Haley said:
“Can you tell that she was intoxicated, yes. To the point under the law that you say you’re in a drunken stupor, to the point that you cannot lawfully give consent or answer questions, absolutely that was not the case."
Haley also claimed that the four men did not simply abandon Brooks on the side of the road.
He mentioned:
“Based on a disagreement, she got out of the vehicle. She indicated she was getting an Uber. I want the public to know, these young men or really the driver of the vehicle and the young men that were in there, did not put her off on the side of the road."
The case is currently ongoing and more details are awaited.
