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Glynn County Police announce arrests in Lehrkamp case, say it wasn’t hazing

GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. – Four people have been arrested in Brunswick for the incident that put a 19-year-old in intensive care. It happened at a house party on St. Simons Island on March 21. Two adults, Carlton Strother, 46 and Lauren Strother, 56, were charged with maintaining a disorderly house and contributing to the delinquency of minors.

Two others arrested were teens with charges ranging from simple battery to criminal trespass, misdemeanors.

During a news conference Monday, District Attorney Keith Higgins went into detail about what was wrong with information on the case that came out on social media.

“Just a lot of misinformation out there with regards to the specific acts that were done that were very vile in nature,” Higgins said. “Even if they had been committed they still would have been simple batteries, under the definition of that. But still vile in allegations of urination and defecation and allegations that he was forced to drink which are simply not true.”

Higgins noted during the news conference he wasn’t angry about this case, but it did require a lot of attention.

“It just has taken up an inordinate amount of time and investigative resources as well as prosecution resources,” Higgins said. “In this county at a time when very serious crimes have also been committed.”

Higgins said Trenton Lehrkamp, 19, voluntarily got drunk and blacked out. He also said Lehrkamp asked to be hosed down after an egg fight. Higgins stressed that Lehrkamp was not autistic, not beaten, choked or tortured. No one poured acid down his throat, urinated on him or defecated on him.

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Higgins also said the teens who took him to the hospital didn’t just drop him off, they brought him into the emergency room and made sure he was getting prompt medical attention. “That quite probably saved his life,” Higgins said. The teens also provided their names to the hospital.

According to the Glynn County Police Department (GCPD), the incident started at a house party on St. Simons Island March 21. At some point, Trenton Lehrkamp, 19, was brought to a hospital emergency room by three other teens. A report said Lehrkamp’s clothes were soaked with urine, he had spray paint all over him and a small bruise on his shoulder.

An outraged community came together to demand justice for Lehrkamp, when many thought he was a victim of hazing on March 28.

Hundreds of people rallied outside a hospital in Glynn County to show their support for the teenager who was recovering in the intensive care.

RELATED: Glynn County police say investigation into house party incident that left 19-year-old in ICU continues; no charges yet | Hundreds rally in support of Glynn County teen who’s in ICU after apparent hazing incident

“We got a lot of people out here that got things to say and they’re afraid to say them because of where they live,” one participant told News4JAX.

Lehrkamp’s father said this is not the first time that Lehrkamp went to the house party and got hurt.

Interim Police Chief O’Neal Jackson, with the Brunswick Police Department, said Lehrkamp’s father saw his son going to that residence and came back home in different states of intoxication.

“Like the district attorney said, he continued to go back because he was under the impression those individuals were his friends. Obviously they weren’t if they treated him like that,” Interim Chief Jackson said.

The Interim Police Chief Jackson also said this incident could have been avoided.

“If parents are a little more attentive to what’s gone on in their house,” Jackson said. “Being mindful that teens can get their hands on alcohol and sometimes people do use illegal narcotics. So I’m sad that something like this happened. I’m glad for the community’s sake that we were able to make an arrest in this case.”


About the Author
Scott Johnson headshot

Scott is a multi-Emmy Award Winning Anchor and Reporter, who also hosts the “Going Ringside With The Local Station” Podcast. Scott has been a journalist for 25 years, covering stories including six presidential elections, multiple space shuttle launches and dozens of high-profile murder trials.

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