By MARK GILLISPIE
Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) — An attorney for the family of an autistic teenager who had feces and bodily fluids dumped on him when he thought he was participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge said Monday that police know who the perpetrators are even as celebrities continue to offer reward money to find those involved.
Attorney Dean Valore, who represents the boy and his family, said that he has spoken with Bay Village police.
“I know police have a very good handle on the investigation,” Valore said. “Everyone’s pretty much been identified.”
Bay Village police Chief Mark Spaetzel did not return telephone calls Monday. But Bay Village schools Superintendent Clint Keener said that police have known from “the get-go” who the perpetrators are.
“The investigation is to sort out everyone’s involvement and how it came to be,” Keener said.
Police have said the pranksters could face delinquency charges. But the school district likely won’t be able to do anything beyond supporting the teenager, Kenner said, because the prank occurred before the start of the school year and off school property.
The prank caught the attention of the world after the mother of the teen, who had been told he was participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge, found a video of it on his cellphone and allowed media outlets to make it available for public viewing.
The celebrity reward offers began Saturday with comedian, game show host and Cleveland native Drew Carey posting to his Twitter account that he’d donate $10,000 if others would join him. Other celebrities have followed with their own offers on Twitter.
Valore said he hopes the celebrities will convert those offers into cash for the teen and his family. He said his office has received an outpouring of calls in support of the teen, including offers of money and gifts from across the U.S., England and Australia.
He said the teen remains “pretty emotional” about what happened to him.
“He’s pretty scarred and pretty damaged,” Valore said. “He thought they were his friends.”
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