Boys will be boys, but at what point does hanging out, playing video games and Snapchatting lead to attempted murder?
Two 16-year-old boys lured 14-year-old Deserae Turner to join them by a canal after school to "hang out."
The boys came up with a plan
while playing video games to lure her to this remote area of town to sell her a knife but instead, kill her by slitting her throat, or as a backup, shoot her in the head.
One of the boys said he wanted to "get rid of" Deserae because he "just didn't want anything to do with Snapchatting her anymore."
His friend asked him why he didn't do something about it. At first, they laughed it off as a joke. Soon after, the plan hatched and quickly evolved as the boys decided to use knives because it would be quieter. They did, however, plan to take a gun owned by one of the boy's older brother as a backup plan.
Their plan was in play: Deserae met up with them. After telling her they'd give her a ride home, Deserae turned away from the boys to head back down the trail. The boy she had been Snapchatting shot her in the back of the head at close range.Both boys then stole her belongings, destroyed her phone and iPod, trashed her backpack, kept $55 they found in her bag and left Deserae for dead in a dry section of the canal.
When Deserae didn't arrive home shortly after school, she was reported missing around 6:30 p.m. The police, friends and family all began to search for her.
Just after midnight, Deserae was found - still alive. She was lying in the ditch with a bullet lodged in her skull. The police arrived and she was lifeflighted to the hospital.
The boys are being held in a juvenile center and being charged as juveniles with attempted aggravated murder and robbery.
"Through the blessings of our father in heaven Deserae is still with us and has made progress," Deserae's mother, April Turner, posted on her Facebook page. "Des is fighting so hard and we are grateful for the many small miracles along the way... Our sweet girl has been through so much as she battled for her life and this will be a battle she fights for a long time if not for the rest of her life."
The miracle
After a miraculous two months of rehabilitation, surgery, recovery and battling to be able to complete daily tasks most people take for granted, Deserae was released from Primary Children's Hospital.
"I am so thankful to be here today, to be alive,"
Deserae told the media at a press conference. "People all over the world have been praying for me. Some of them I know and some I have never met... but they care for me."
The sweet 14-year-old has been working very hard to heal, and although she still has a long way to go, she is very excited to be home and see her pet animals - especially her horses.
"What a great day. Because of the love and care of so many, we are taking our beautiful, courageous daughter home today," said Matt Turner, Deserae's father. "Nine weeks ago we did not know if this was possible."
Deserae's sweet and positive attitude lit up the room during the press conference. She spoke of gratitude towards those who have helped her, faith in God and the joy she felt to be going home with her family.
The bullet that was shot in her head remains embedded in her skull today. Her strength through this life-changing experience is inspiring to thousands around the world.
