Fenger coaches off job after teen fight

October 4, 2011 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- A Chicago high school that was at the center of a violent student beating nearly two years ago is making news again because of another alleged beating.

Two coaches at Fenger High School have been suspended for their alleged involvement in the incident.

There are conflicting reports as to the coaches' involvement. The mother of the victim says the coaches facilitated the attack on her son. Another account has the coaches trying to diffuse the situation.

Either way, the incident is being taken seriously by Chicago Public Schools.

Patricia Jones says she was shocked to look out of her window Saturday morning and see what she called a mob of people attacking her son. Sixteen-year-old Darion Jones, a junior at Fenger, was outside mowing the lawn with his nephew, 15-year-old David Baker, when Jones says a group of boys started beating her son. Jones says the boys were driven to the family's home by two Fenger High School football coaches.

"They're gonna bring 20,30 kids over here? Somebody should have stopped that," said Patricia Jones.

Jones says she ran outside, and as she was trying to break up the fight, she fell down and sprained her wrist. But she says Darion suffered worse injuries: a prosthetic eye and a tooth were knocked out.

"I saw a young man hit him with a punch," said Patricia Jones. "I felt the lick. I felt the pain."

The cause of the fight, Jones says , is because her son was accused of stealing another student's flip flops.

"Whatever had happened, the adults could have picked up the phone and called 911 and sent the police over here," said Jones.

Chicago Public Schools officials have relieved the coaches of their duties while they conduct an investigation.

But Jones says she is fearful of sending Jones back to school.

"The young men told him that this was not over," said sister Cathy Baker. "They said that as they were getting in the cars leaving. It was not over."

"I'm scared for my life. I'm scared for my children. My family has to go in and out these doors," said Patricia Jones.

Patricia Jones says her son has special needs and has had some behavioral problems at school. She says he stayed close to the house Saturday morning doing his chores and says he told her that he didn't steal the flip flops.

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local, karen jordan

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