Assaulted girl in Marijampolė: one bystander tried to intervene, says family lawyer

A lawyer representing the family of a 13-year-old girl assaulted in Marijampolė has said the attackers will not face criminal charges due to their age, but they and their families will still be held accountable, LRT.lt reports.

Gintaras Černiauskas, the family’s lawyer, told the outlet that the victim’s injuries—both physical and psychological—could be severe, with long-lasting effects. He noted that the assault, which was filmed and shared online, involved a group of older teenagers, some over 16, who encouraged and recorded the attack.

“When you mock, encourage, or support the perpetrator, filming the violence is also a form of harassment. And sharing that material is undoubtedly a form of complicity,” Černiauskas said. He added that while criminal liability may not apply, civil claims for damages would likely be significant, with the perpetrators’ parents responsible for compensation.

The lawyer highlighted that only one girl in the group—a 13-year-old friend of the victim—attempted to stop the assault. “Respect to that child, who understood and was not afraid, while all the others, even older children, did nothing,” he said. Others wanted to help but were held back by fear, he added.

Černiauskas also addressed the initial classification of the case as a public order violation, stating that the investigation could later expand to include charges such as causing pain or minor bodily harm, depending on medical assessments.

He described the psychological trauma as potentially the most damaging, citing the humiliation of the attack being widely shared. “This is a major psychological trauma, and the consequences could last a very long time,” he said.

The lawyer also warned that the aggressive behaviour of the attackers, though not currently punishable by criminal law, often persists into adulthood, when legal consequences become possible.

“Society is sick, our children are sick,” he said.