A 12-year-old Northwest suburban boy in the hospital following a violent school attack is improving after suffering serious brain and skull injuries. Some middle school parents can’t believe news about the seventh grader, Henry Sembdner.
“Henry is the cutest, sweetest little thing you’ll ever meet in your entire life. He is a great kid,” said one middle school parent.
She added that she was in extreme shock when she heard that Henry was in the hospital with a brain injury.
But Henry’s mom’s confirmed it on Facebook: “My son was a victim of a senseless act of violence,” Karen DeWilde Sembdner wrote. “He has multiple facial fractures and is being monitored for a brain bleed.”
District U-46 officials said another student assaulted Henry with what started with a bump in the hallway in between classes.
And while they won’t reveal much about the student believed to have caused Henry’s injuries, police said he did not return to Kenyon Woods Middle School on Monday.
He was taken into custody Friday, but was then released to his parents.
In a show of hope for Henry, students and teachers at several Elgin schools wore green Monday.
“The community support has been unbelievable, incredible,” said Janet Roeper, another middle school parent.
School officials said more than 100 students took advantage of the social workers that were provided on Monday.