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Girls Hit Boy With Ketchup Bottle, Rob Palatine Apartment

Vanessa Mejia and Sendi Ocampo
Vanessa Mejia and Sendi Ocampo (Credit: Cook County Sheriff)

PALATINE (CBS) -- Three teenage girls have been charged, and police are searching for a fourth, after they allegedly hit a 12-year-old boy with a ketchup bottle; and stole cash, jewelry, and cell phones from the boy's home in Palatine.

CBS 2's Chris Martinez reports the girls allegedly talked their way into the boy's home last week.

Police said one girl knocked on his door as he was watching TV at his home in the 400 block of East Osage Lane in Palatine, and asked for his sister. When he told the girl his sister wasn't home, the girl returned with three others and asked to use the bathroom.

"The 12-year-old victim let them in the residence, and at that time, beat him up, hit him with the bottle, and then did go into several areas of the apartment and stole jewelry, and cash, and other items," Palatine Police Det. William Nord said.

High Bond For Teen Suspects

Nord Said the boy suffered "multiple lacerations to his back that did require multiple stitches."

Police said the beating was the culmination of a school dispute with the boy's sister.

Three teen girls have turned themselves in for the beating and robbery. The two oldest girls, 17-year-old Vanessa Mejia and 18-year-old Sendi Ocampo – have been charged as adults. A 16-year-old girl was charged as a juvenile, and police are still looking for the fourth suspect.

Mejia and Ocampo had their bond set at $200,000.

Mejia's defense attorney, James Allen, declined to answer questions about the allegations, saying only "I'm going to represent my client and do the best I can."

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