Facebook Holds Clues to Teen's Gang Rape

Facebook Holds Clues to Teen's Gang Rape

Late in the evening on a hot November night, a blue Dodge Challenger rolled to a stop outside a two-bedroom yellow house in Hollywood. A 16-year-old girl with wavy hair and brown, sad eyes sat in the passenger seat. A Samsung Galaxy glowed in her hands. Watching her send text after text, the young man behind the wheel fretted. She was only 16. It was near midnight.

After hours of smoking weed and listening to hip-hop, Erica silently slid out a bottle of Mace.

She told her friend not to worry. She was only a text away. "My best friends are inside," the girl murmured. "And I don't want to go home just yet."

Not entirely convinced, the young man pulled away after watching her saunter toward the front door. She was still a kid who loved Twister and coffee-flavored ice cream. She yet considered Wet 'n Wild in Orlando the most fun place on Earth. But this November 1, she didn't move like an adolescent. In a pair of jean booty shorts, the four-foot-eight youth sashayed.

Clockwise from left: Lanel Singleton, 18, Dwight Henry, 17, and Jayvon Woolfork, 19, have all been charged with two counts of armed sexual battery and await trial.
Photos from Broward Sheriff's Office
Clockwise from left: Lanel Singleton, 18, Dwight Henry, 17, and Jayvon Woolfork, 19, have all been charged with two counts of armed sexual battery and await trial.
A Facebook profile of one of the teenaged friends.
A Facebook profile of one of the teenaged friends.

Inside, the house reeked of pot. Cans of Bud Light Platinum littered the hardwood floor, recalls one teenager who was there that night. The girl, we'll call her Jessica, found three boys crowded around a TV set in one of the two bedrooms smoking weed and playing Grand Theft Auto. She knew them from South Broward High School, though Jessica had rarely attended class in weeks, and when she did go, she mostly slept.

There was six-foot-three Lanel Singleton, a demure but self-assured young man whom one friend describes as "a beast" on the basketball court. The 18-year-old had gotten the wrong end of a fight the night before and was now nursing a nasty shiner. Nearby sat his best friend, Dwight Henry, 17, who'd just dyed a streak of his hair orange to emulate his idol, rapper Wiz Khalifa. Then there was the house's resident, Jayvon Woolfork, a short 19-year-old with a laugh like a jackhammer and a belly spilling over his low-hanging jeans. "Man," Woolfork remarked that night, according to the teenaged witness, "I want a girl for me."

Finally, Jessica came upon her two friends, Patricia Montes, 15, and Erica Avery, 16, sitting in the main room. Thin, with waist-length blond hair and countenances dominated by expressive blue eyes, the girls looked almost identical. While the boys played videogames, they settled onto the couch. Jessica found a full can of beer on the floor and cracked it open, recalls the teenaged friend, who left at midnight. Beers, joints, and hours melted into an indistinguishable blur.

Each of the girls liked to fight. And for days, Patricia and Jessica had harbored resentment toward each other over a boy, several friends say. Patricia had begun talking to a young man Jessica had liked for months. Around 1 a.m., according to police reports, after hours of smoking weed and listening to hip-hop, Erica silently slid out a bottle of Mace.

Then, without saying a word, she sprayed Jessica.

"You're a pussy!" one of the blond girls shrieked, slamming both fists into Jessica's head. The surprised girl raised her arms to protect her face. "You're an asshole!" the blonds yelled. "You're a ho, and you're not leaving until you fuck Jayvon! Suck his dick, bitch!"

The girls grabbed Jessica and dragged her limp 75-pound form out the back door and down several concrete steps, where they continued to pummel her. Grabbing hold of Jessica's hair, they smashed her head into concrete. One of the boys asked what was happening, and another answered, "They don't like this girl, bro."

Jessica first escaped to the bathroom. She locked the door and tried to crawl out the window above the bathtub but couldn't. Then she bolted for the front door. Her grandmother lived just blocks away, on the other side of North Federal. All she had to do was get through that door and she'd be free. But one of the boys met her there.

"If you touch that doorknob," Lanel Singleton allegedly growled, "I'm going to punch you in the face."

Singleton clutched an iPhone covered in glitter. It was pointed at Jessica. The teenager had been recording.

"Stop videotaping me!" she cried.

He wouldn't. Throughout the beatings, the pleas for mercy, and the humiliations leading to an alleged gang rape that would capture international attention, the camera would stay affixed on her. This is what kids in South Broward High School do, according to dozens of interviews with students there. It's almost reflexive: When there's a fight, when there's drama, record it and post it on Facebook. It's what Patricia Montes and Erica Avery have been involved in before, and it's what in all likelihood would have happened to Singleton's video as well.

In an emerging teen culture that values substance abuse, misogyny, hypersexualization, and violence, all the kids from this group use social media to annotate every drug score, sexual conquest, and swig of booze. The status updates, posted without concern for consequences, mark one of the few consistencies in the lives of South Florida's impoverished youth, who bounce from household to household without sustained parenting. Facebook for them has become a very public diary of delinquency and criminality — and it's updated no matter the circumstances.

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67 comments
BlackSharkus
BlackSharkus

Then again, the writer here... You're pretty sick, too. There is no way being a tad high meant they didn't know what was happening.

Lynxx3
Lynxx3

Excellent article. And so sad. I hope Jessica learns something from all this, and makes something of herself. She's got a lot going against her though, at such a young age.  What a bunch of messed up adults. Exactly why I'm Pro-Choice.

sweetliberty17761776
sweetliberty17761776 topcommenter

mark the names down and follow the trial


maybe 10-15 years



out in half the time


dems love criminals out on the streets


and they hate good people having guns 



jovasha07
jovasha07

This is the most poorly written article i've ever seen,extremely long,confusing, and misinforming.

jovasha07
jovasha07

This was most  poorly written article i've ever seen.Too long, confusing, just a mess. 7 pages....7 pages?!?!


One thing it did show that I can lightly commend is how lost and easily influenced kids are these days.These kids need Jesus,and no i'm not kidding. 


This generation needs to be careful, the devil is carving out a path of destruction, lose your soul at your own risk, be wise.



heyred51
heyred51

Don't bring Pot into this stupid situation I don't know anyone who has or would even consider a gang rape mainly because they would be too busy eating laughing and sleeping !!!  As far as these girls go if you hang around with trash they treat you like trash !!  That is all!!


Karolina Sucre
Karolina Sucre

I don't think MNT is anti-marijuana and I don't think they talk about pot-smoking to make it seem like it was a bad thing. They talk about it to show that these kids are 14-16, drinking, smoking, and being all around d-bags. This wasn't anti-pot, this was anti-shitty parenting.

James L Moving Jr.
James L Moving Jr.

I'd bang em. They wanna get treated like gangsta sluts, I'll turn them into that.

FloridaLady
FloridaLady

It's such a shame that Jessica is not going to recieve the proper counseling or support. She is more likely to be raped again and to descend further into drug use and depression.  These young kids try to act way too grown...and these parents clearly are deluded and did a shitty job raising these POS teens. All these kids have no guidance, no positive role model and are so lost. Their facebook are such a joke. I hope all these kids get the appropriate prison time.  None of that juvenile detention shit. They knew what they were doing... borderline pyscho these kids are nowadays. 

Eddie James
Eddie James

So Keith, we've been in the Last Days now for what, 7,500-15,000 years now?

zhengsou2014
zhengsou2014

i play the facebook too you can find me langlang2013

Keith Walker
Keith Walker

2 Timothy 3 King James Version (KJV) 3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Brandi Malone
Brandi Malone

South Florida keeps it classy, per usual. This is exactly why I'm getting my kids out of here.

Laurie Kirkpatrick
Laurie Kirkpatrick

So sad. Had to be in Hollywood though all these fucked up people come from that hell how.

Josephine Del Papa
Josephine Del Papa

Although we are raising our kids in rural broward now also, there is no way in hell they will even know what boredom means as a teen. If that means traveling every summer, if that means paying for activities and sports, moving across the country - whatever. Too many parents think their kids are more mature than they actually are, and when unsupervised, these things happen.

Josephine Del Papa
Josephine Del Papa

This is not just Hollywood. It's any outskirts town in America. It's worse in areas where there is nothing going on because yes, everyone is bored and get into sex and drugs to cope. No ambition when no one around you is ambitious. I grew up in southern Indiana and my teen years were very much surrounded by this. I've experienced more than I've ever wanted to see, and thankfully left at 18 for a great traveling job, saw the world and gained culture, and now have a very stable married life. To kids like these, there simply isn't a universe outside of the small clique they live in, and parents who are not attentive do not get them they help they need to deal with emotional issues before it escalates. It took years before I could forgive my family and friends, I hated everything about all of their pathetic lives. And I still hate that town I grew up in. This article's details, I think were meant to shock adults, but to anyone who has been a teen in the last 10-15 years, I think it just seems like a normal part of culture that is unfortunately accepted and ignored.

Andrew Creech
Andrew Creech

Paula obviously never met that kid in College who had strict religious parents. Oh that's right, he partied so hard and rebelliously ditched his responsibilities that he flunked out. Feed Children God's word? No. Feed their brain. Teach them to love to learn. Show them how knowledge is power. Give them better examples of what you can accomplish. Don't give them the rod and toss a book written by delusional men who think it's God's word down their throat. Even if it were divine, it's been corrupted by the natural impurity of man.

Neon Lights
Neon Lights

We need more role models, counselors, and mentors in our communities. At the very least, adults need to stop participating and "liking" fights and sex posted on Facebook. It may be entertaining to you, but it's setting the stage for the youth who will do anything for attention and acceptance. If you won't help, at least don't make it worse.

Paula K Purtle
Paula K Purtle

They have been programmed by the violence in music, games and tv. Feed children Gods Word, give consistent discipline and loving supervision and they won't have time to go bad.

Fernanda Lystedt
Fernanda Lystedt

I don't think their parents should be responsible for that. Each one must be responsible for your own act. In this case, the teens are.

Chris Schaaff
Chris Schaaff

I'd bang both those sloots in the pooper one time

Andrew Creech
Andrew Creech

Welcome to Hollyhood. Where high school kids goals include "getting fucked up," "getting laid," & treating school like a fashion show / MMA match. You are think weed is the problem? Lol...these kids would drink drano if they thought it'd give them a buzz.

Osmin Head Morales
Osmin Head Morales

This is why u should pull out, cause than u raise little scallys like this

JanCarlos Canaves
JanCarlos Canaves

The problem isn't the alcohol, weed, or the drugs. It's the breakdown of society, specifically shitty parenting.

Carlos Spicy-Weiner
Carlos Spicy-Weiner

These strawberries are gonna enjoy some hard time! White trash at its best

Michael Fiorellino
Michael Fiorellino

to the parents of those disgusting kids...,take a bow, you have failed

Si Romero
Si Romero

I saw these animals on tv the other night... Now crying n acting innocent. Pfft... Too late! What r their parents doing that they havent realized the disgusting neanderthals theyve raised?! I hope they do the MAX allowed by law and that the parents r sued for EVERYTHING they have or hope to ever get! Pay attention to what ur raising ppl!!!

Steve Klare
Steve Klare

This really is sad...Also a very good case for Not making Marijuana Legal....Seems as the Dope is all over this story.

Andrew J. Herrero
Andrew J. Herrero

Dude, stop posting about this awful story before it turns into a Lifetime movie.

GodHelpThisMess
GodHelpThisMess

This is one of the most disgusting things I have ever read about. These are just KIDS, still in high school, not old enough to drive or make their own decisions. For Christ's sake, they started smoking marijuana and posting about it at the age of 14! At the age of 14, I was still going to parties with bounce houses! Do I blame only the kids? No, the parents also had rather destructive lives. But someone should have reached out a long time ago to help those kids. And now they are all suffering. I think this generation of kids is so messed up. Since when is it okay to post about your destructive decisions on social networking sites? What does that do for you? This is sad, disturbing, and truly nerve-racking. Let's hope and pray that these won't be the same kids taking care of us when we're old.

BlackSharkus
BlackSharkus

@Lynxx3  Learns a valuable lesson from having a horrible tragedy like rape happen to her... You're fucking sick.

KimberlyWillay
KimberlyWillay

You are part of the problem.   This attitude.  Even though the girls you are talking about are criminals it is this "I'd bang em" mindset that has young men just like you pulling the kind of moves that Jayvon Woolfork did. 


Jayvon Woolfork probably said he wanted to "bang" one of them too. 

frankd4
frankd4 topcommenter

...............why not read books or ride a bike or go just go walking or how about take a job as a volunteer somewhere in a hospital or school or library

only boring people get bored

frankd4
frankd4 topcommenter

..........these kids are NOT intended to be re-habilitated because the JUDICIAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX makes too much money off of these kids

frankd4
frankd4 topcommenter

............sorry but these clowns are too far gone....i see them on the public city buses all the time and they don't even have respect for their own people, old people people with babies STAND and struggle with their packages and carriages and NOT ONE of these animals ever lifts a finger or gives up his seat

i agree some never had a chance but we need animals to feed the zoo of a judicial system we have - no ?

frankd4
frankd4 topcommenter

...........these kids parents had them so that the parents qualified for free government support and cheeze and obamaphones and section 8 housing assistance and welfare

not that those parents wanted kids - not to raise but to use - they wanted the financial benefits the government provides for having children

frankd4
frankd4 topcommenter

....................you mean parents are not responsible for their kids ?  so the government should pay to raise these kids ?

frankd4
frankd4 topcommenter

...................its drugs

frankd4
frankd4 topcommenter

....................you will never see SHARPTON or JACKSON drag those parents in front of the TV

frankd4
frankd4 topcommenter

.............................we should just give them HOODIEs and let them loose in DAVIE one evening and that would be the end of this 

frankd4
frankd4 topcommenter

............................the drugs abused at such an early age GUARANTEES no return as their bodies and minds are GONE for good

they will never be able to concentrate or absorb anything mentally useful and disintergrate into animals - i see it everyday, young kids who could care less that they shit their pants or have no shelter simply wandering around for more drugs

 
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