MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of investigation is looking into allegations that a teen at the Milledgeville Youth Challenge Academy (MYCA) was recently beaten in an attack by reportedly more than 20 fellow cadets.

The July 23 incident was reportedly captured on surveillance video, The Union-Recorder has learned.

The newspaper has also learned that the cadet sustained injuries resulting in him being taken by ambulance to a hospital for medical treatment. 

A South Georgia woman has confirmed that her 16-year-old son was the victim. At least one other cadet was also reportedly beaten — either before the attack on her son or afterward, she said, although the other possible victim remained unknown at press time Tuesday.

Amanda Dahn said in a telephone interview that her son, known as “Kenny Boy” at the MYCA, withdrew from the Georgia National Guard-sponsored program following the incident.

Dahn has alleged that when her son was injured in the fight in the Delta Company sleeping quarters he wasn’t allowed to call her and no one sought medical treatment for him.

“He called me and told me that they wouldn’t let him call me, so he went to the phone and called anyway,” Dahn said. 

She said the person who wouldn’t allow her son a telephone call was a staff member who held a ranking position at the academy.

Dahn said that a fight was initiated because her son and another cadet left campus and went to a nearby store to buy snacks, which is against academy policy.

“Kids leave, and they call it going AWOL (Absent Without Leave), and they go to the store and then go back to the academy,” Dahn said.

When her son and the other boy returned, one of the military staff members at the academy told their company that they would have their television privileges taken away because of the infraction.

Some of the other cadets told the staffer that they planned to whip the boys when the staffer left the room.

Dahn said her son told her that the staffer allegedly told the cadets to “go for it, and do what you’ve got to do,” although she said her son admitted that he thought the staffer made the comments jokingly.

“But you just don’t joke like that,” Dahn said.

Moments later when the staff member left the room, Dahn contends that her son was surrounded and beaten by fellow cadets.

Dahn said her son sustained a fractured nose, fractured ribs, a bruised spine and a concussion.

During the attack, his glasses also were broken.

“He’s legally blind without his glasses,” Dahn said.

Since Dahn lives in Albany, she drove three hours to get to Milledgeville to check on her son after the incident.

When she arrived at the academy, she found her son in bed, but explained that he had not received medical care since the attack.

Dahn later called for an officer with the Milledgeville Police Department who advised Dahn that she thought medical attention was needed and called for an ambulance. Her son was taken to the emergency room of Oconee Regional Medical Center in Milledgeville.

Dahn said the fight involved 28 cadets.

Dahn alleges that her son has been the victim of at least two other assaults since he enrolled at the MYCA.

He also has been the victim of several thefts, she said.

She contends her son was also jumped recently when he attended a summer camp with other cadets.

After the most recent attack she took her son out of the academy.

“There was no way he was going back there,” Dahn said.

Meanwhile agents from the GBI Region 6 Office in Milledgeville were seen leaving a meeting with school officials Tuesday morning.

GBI Special Agent Ryan Carmichael, assistant agent in-charge of the local GBI office, confirmed Tuesday afternoon that the GBI is looking into an incident that happened at the school involving a physical assault.

Carmichael said the GBI was requested Monday by the Milledgeville Police Department to investigate the July 23 incident.

“There’s not much that we can release at this point,” Carmichael said. “The investigation is ongoing.”

Carmichael would not answer specific questions related to the case. He reiterated that the GBI has an open and ongoing investigation into the matter.

Dahn said she and her son were scheduled to meet Tuesday afternoon with an agent from the Syvelster GBI office to discuss the incident.

David Bill, who serves as interim director of the MYCA, said the school has also launched its own investigation.

“Once we found out about the situation that occurred a couple of weeks ago, we started an internal investigation,” Bill said. “We’re still in an ongoing investigation, so I really can’t give many details.”

He declined to say whether or not any cadets had been taken into custody on charges in connection to the incident or if any had received disciplinary action.

“At this point, no,” he said. “Again, it’s still an internal investigation, so we don’t know where it will lead.”

Bill said he also could not comment on Dahn’s allegations that the fight was witnessesed by academy staff members.

“We can’t comment about any of that,” Bill said.

Rufus Smith, deputy director at the school, pointed out that every aspect and allegation was being looked at in its entirety.

“Anything we say would be premature,” Smith said.

Once the internal investigation has been completed, academy officials will take the appropriate actions, Bill said.

“In my mind, our priority number one is the safety and security of the students here,” Bill said. “That is job one.”

The Georgia National Guard sponsored Youth Challenge Academy is a 22-week program, which includes more than 150 days, and allows students an opportunity to earn a GED.

Dahn said her son only had about 40 days left in the program.

“He only had to go from now until October,” Dahn said.