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Man Who 'Scalped' High School Student Charged

LA GRANGE, Ill. (STMW) - A 20-year-old Brookfield man has been charged in an incident at Lyons Township High School that left a 17-year-old girl with a large bald spot after a power drill got caught and pulled out a chunk of her hair.

Shahram Beikzadeh, of the 4100 block Blanchan Ave. in Brookfield, was charged with reckless conduct following an investigation that showed the incident in a stagecraft class Nov. 30 to be an accident, said police investigator Patrick Fulla.

"Reckless conduct as defined by state statute concerns whether your actions are lawful or unlawful. If they cause injury or place someone at risk for their safety, they can be charged under reckless conduct," Fulla said. "Had this been an intentional act, it would have been a battery."

The misdemeanor carries a maximum punishment of up to a year in jail or a $2,500 fine. Beikzadeh is to appear Dec. 22 in the Bridgeview branch of Cook County Circuit Court.

Fulla said Beikzadeh and the 17-year-old girl were both students in the class building sets and scenery for a play at the LT North Campus for juniors at seniors, 100 S. Brainard Ave. At about 10:30 a.m. Nov. 30, Beikzadeh came up behind the girl while she was painting scenery.

"He had a drill in his hand that was activated and it grabbed onto the victim's hair," Fulla said, adding the girl's parents later transported her to a hospital to be checked.

Ronald Gonzalez said his daughter, Luz, is continuing her recovery following the incident.

"Physically, she's OK, but she has to wear a hat to cover the bald spot on her head 4 inches long and 2 wide," Gonzalez said "Her hair was completely stripped, "Emotionally it's bothering her."

Gonzalez said he was dissatisfied with the school's response to the incident, initially giving his daughter a hard time about wearing a hat to class when she returned the next day. On Dec. 2, friends of the older student made threats to his daughter after attention was drawn to the incident, Gonzalez said.

Fulla said the completed police report doesn't include statements about a threats made to the victim by Beikzadeh or his friends.

After receiving treatment for her scalp injury, doctors warned that Luz may need plastic surgery or hair transplants to repair the damage, Gonzalez said.

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