A Johnstown woman was charged Tuesday by the city police with corrupting the morals of minors for encouraging two juvenile girls to fight with each other in the basement of her home.
A dark, grainy video of the fight and several spectators has been posted on the YouTube networking site, said Julie Wagner, the city’s juvenile officer.
Wagner filed the single charge against Denise Burt before District Judge Leonard Grecek.
Burt, 28, of the 100 block of Jacob Street, will be notified by mail to appear for an arraignment and a preliminary hearing Oct. 29 on the misdemeanor charge, Grecek’s office said.
Wagner alleged that Burt not only encouraged the fight, she also permitted other juveniles to watch the incident around 9 a.m. Sept. 18 at her house.
Burt allegedly told the two girls, both 16, to “wait a minute” while she moved piles of laundry to make room for the fight, Wagner said. The girls initially had a verbal confrontation on the woman’s front porch and shouted obscenities at each other, the police officer said in a sworn affidavit.
One girl can be seen running down the basement steps and attacking the other girl, with the two then punching and slapping each her on the head.
One girl is seen getting the other girl down on the floor and then banging her head on the floor and hitting her, the police officer said.
At one point, a person can be heard saying, “We don’t want a murder,” and another person saying, “Can she breathe?”
At the end of the five-minute video, people are seen pulling the one girl off the other.
“The defendant did nothing to stop the violence,” Wagner said.
Neither girl required medical attention afterward, authorities said.
Local News
Police: City woman prompted teen fight posted on YouTube
- Local News
-
-
Mild winter speeds work: Entertainment venue may be complete by end of May
An unusually mild winter has accelerated construction of a new outdoor entertainment venue in Johnstown.
-
Man jailed on rash of charges
A Patton man is being held on $100,000 bond after police said he threatened to kill a woman, her family and himself unless she talked to him about a protection-from-abuse order.
-
Cambria abolishes 16 jobs
Following through on promises to cut budget costs, the Cambria County commissioners voted Thursday to abolish 16 positions, including nine full-time jobs.
-
Blogging with heart
Anyone else have this issue: The more I know, the more I want to learn.
As I am writing my heart month stories for this week’s packages, I occasionally come across a term or description unfamiliar to me. So I look it up. And then the definition or article has something else that sounds important, so I look that up. -
Wozniak defends his support of drilling bill
State Sen. John Wozniak, D-Westmont, one of only seven Democrats to support the Marcellus Shale legislation adopted this week, said the bill protects the environment and provides help to local communities impacted by the natural gas drilling.
-
Businessman hoping to unseat Wozniak
Tim Houser uses two words – “challenging opportunity” – to describe his goal in this year’s elections.
-
Judge tosses evidence in robbery
A Cambria County prosecutor said he’ll have to drop robbery charges against a Twin Rocks woman after much of his evidence was suppressed by a judge.
-
Shooting defendant pleads to attempted murder
A Philadelphia man pleaded guilty Thursday in county court to attempted murder and theft in a Nov. 18 home invasion in which the homeowner was shot.
-
Garrett man sought in Somerset crime
An arrest warrant has been issued for Samuel McFarland Jr., 33, of Berlin Street in Garrett in connection with Saturday’s robbery of two boys outside Dollar General on East Main Street in Somerset.
-
City man shot during alleged burglary
A Johnstown man was shot during a burglary attempt in Indiana County and then burglarized a home in Armstrong County before he was arrested, authorities said Thursday.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
