Mother of attacked Washington High School student: 'He's going back'

Stephenie Meek says she usually picks up her son Christian from Cedar Rapids Washington High School -- adding to the chaos her family has been through since Tuesday's first day of school.

"I showed up at school and they weren't there," said Meek.  "I called his friend and his friend told me they were unconscious and I said, 'what?'"

Police and witnesses say Christian Meek, 15, was walking with three other Washington students after Tuesday's early dismissal when, in the 300 block of 20th Street SE, multiple males attacked the four boys. Christian and one other boy were severely beaten.

"I showed up on the scene and there were people everywhere," said his mother. "They hit him so hard that it was like he kept skipping and saying the same thing over and over again.  He kept saying, 'on the first day of school' and then a pause and, then, 'on the first day of school'."

Stephenie Meek said her son has a broken jaw and a severed nerve that runs from his right cheek to just under his mouth.  A neighbor and witness to the attack, Charity Flood, said the other boy with serious injuries had multiple teeth knocked out and was bleeding from the mouth.

Christian Meek spent two nights at St. Luke's Hospital before his release late Thursday afternoon.  His mother said he was bleeding for hours after the attack and was "vomiting bags full."

"He's going to be sealed with wires for two weeks," said Stephenie Meek.  "Then they're going to try and put rubber bands so it's not constrictive.  If he throws up, he could die.  They're concerned about that."

As of Thursday evening, Cedar Rapids police had not announced any arrests or made a public plea for information but said they are "working diligently" on the case and are handling the attack at a high priority.  Talk of the attack on the four high school students was a regular topic among many parents throughout Eastern Iowa once the news hit.

Now Christian Meek is in the early stages of recovering at his home, with his three younger siblings nearby.  His mother said the family moved to Iowa five years ago from Indiana and that Tuesday's attack has her apprehensive, but she wants the streets to be safe.

"I don't want him to walk around town but, at the same time, there's no way that we can let these bullies, these thugs, rule Cedar Rapids streets," said Stephenie Meek.  "He's going back to Washington and I'm going to make sure he's going to walk this city and feel safe, because that's not the way it's supposed to be."