Three Children Committed to State Division of Youth Services after Assault at Hickory Hills in Springfield

Three teenagers are now being committed to the State Division of Youth Services after they allegedly assaulted another teen at Hickory Hills Middle School.

In late January, Derick Moore received a call that his 14-year-old daughter Preslee had been injured after three other girls physically assaulted her in the school’s gymnasium.

Reports say the girls “blindsided” her, pushing her down and stomping on her head and neck.

Preslee was rushed to a Springfield hospital and was treated for a severe concussion, hemorrhaging of her eye, and an orbital fracture of her skull.

The three girls were each held during the ensuing investigation. Two were held in Greene County, while a third was held in Christian County.

Earlier this week, they were sent to the State Division of Youth Services, the most severe punishment for a minor, outside of being tried as an adult.

The girls will be at the facility for an unspecified amount of time. They will not be convicted of any charges, and if they complete the program and stay out of trouble, they will have no criminal record as adults.