Warning: Distressing content
Eight youths are on the run after the alleged bashing of a 14-year-old girl at a Gold Coast shopping centre.
The girl was with a boy, 13, on a train when they were accosted by a group of eight juveniles — four boys and four girls — on Sunday afternoon, police believe.
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The two children got off the train at Coomera, but the group followed them to a bus stop outside the station.
“The eight juveniles actually followed those two victims and due to some verbal interactions, the two victims proceeded towards the Coomera Westfield Shopping Centre,” Superintendent Rhys Wildman said on Monday.
The shopping centre is about 200m from the station.
The two teens became separated outside the shopping centre while they made their escape, said Wildman.
The four male youths chased the boy, while the four girls targeted the girl.
The girls caught the girl and bashed her, leaving her with facial injuries. They also stole her phone.
She was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital.
Images of the bloodied girl have been posted to social media.
Wildman described the incident as “extremely disturbing” and said police are considering increasing patrols of Coomera station.
He said he expects the attackers to be caught and the “matter to be resolved in the near future”.
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