A disturbing video has surfaced showing two California teenagers allegedly bullying a middle school student, forcing him to lick the bottom of one of their shoes. The incident, which occurred in a Bakersfield neighborhood on Monday, was captured on a home security camera and has been widely shared on social media.
The video shows the two teens, ages 14 and 15, standing in a driveway with the victim, identified as Carter Lashaul. One of the teens can be heard ordering Lashaul to “get down on the floor and lick that (expletive),” before he is allegedly forced to lick the bottom of one of their shoes.
A neighbor, Adina Alaniz, rushed outside to help Lashaul after witnessing the incident on her security camera. “Are you okay?” she asked him, as he sobbed. Alaniz told KGET that she had hoped to intervene before the incident escalated, but it was too late.
Lashaul’s grandmother, Bobbie Moorehead, expressed outrage over the incident, saying that her grandson will no longer walk home from school. “Look what they did to him. How are you going to make someone lick your feet? Why would you do something like that? That’s not right,” she said.
The two suspects were booked into a juvenile hall on suspicion of battery, false imprisonment, and conspiracy. Their names were not released due to their age. Both teens reportedly attend Golden Valley High School, which is part of the Kern High School District.
The district released a statement condemning the behavior and announcing an investigation into the incident. “We stand firmly against such behavior and do not tolerate bullying,” the statement read. “We are actively investigating this matter and are working closely with the Bakersfield Police Department and Kern High School District Police to address it appropriately.”
A rally was held on the high school campus on Tuesday in support of Lashaul, with students and parents calling for an end to bullying. “There should be no bullying allowed, no violence,” said rallygoer Persaias Hollinquest. “There should be no reason to belittle a person when we’re all humans at the end of the day.”
The Greenfield Union School District, which oversees Leon H. Ollivier Middle School, also announced an investigation into the incident and encouraged families to have a conversation with their students about anti-bullying. “School safety is a shared responsibility,” the district said in a statement.
