Who attacked Adriana Kuch? Internet demands bullies' names as online protests intensify

On Friday, February 10, four teenage girls were charged with the assault of Adriana Kuch, a 14-year-old New Jersey teen who reportedly died by suicide after being bullied relentlessly.

On February 1, Adriana Kuch was allegedly assaulted by four girls in the school hallway while she was walking with her boyfriend. Footage of the incident, which has since been taken down, sparked outrage among netizens due to the sheer brutality of the beating.

While the names of the suspects have not been released because they are minors, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer stated that the charges faced by the girls include aggravated assault, harassment, and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.

According to the New York Post, it has been speculated that the four teens charged in the assault of Adriana Kuch are most likely the same girls who were suspended for the beating of the 14-year-old.

They were previously also charged with third-degree felony assault, while one girl faced one count of disorderly conduct.

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Netizens and family members condemn the beating of Adriana Kuch

Despite the fact that the suspects are minors, many enraged netizens have demanded to know the names of those involved in bullying the teen.

In the comments section of a deleted video of the beating, one Redditor posted that the press should make an effort to go after the assault suspects.

Another user, 'rigored', posted that if the suspects are willing to assault someone, there should be no reason for their names to be withheld.

Another said that if media and authorities are unable to release the names of the bullies, then internet sleuths could possibly make an effort to do so.

Another user said that while the suspects should be named, the school should be held equally accountable for not adequately dealing with the assault.

In the opinions of many internet users, public shaming of the perpetrators was seen as a legitimate deterrent to preventing such occurrences in the future.

While being tried as a minor means that names aren't released, others demanded that they be tried as adults. This way, they would not only be named but they would also potentially spend time in prison, rather than juvenile detention facilities.

In an interview with ABC, Adriana Kuch's father, Michael Kuch, said that while the attack was vicious, what really led her to the suicide was the online bullying she faced after the footage of the beating spread.

Michael Kuch said:

“Getting hit with a water bottle didn’t hurt Adriana, what hurt her was the embarrassment and humiliation, they just kept coming at her."

He went on to describe the beating:

“My daughter actually blacks out and they don’t call an ambulance, they take her to the nurse’s office. (She has) never been in a fight before, she’s 98 pounds, 5-2 and she loves everybody.”

The case is currently ongoing.