3 admit dumping bodily fluids on autistic teen

CLEVELAND — Three teens charged in a cruel ice bucket prank admitted in juvenile court Thursday that they dumped urine, tobacco and spit on an autistic classmate.

Attorneys for the suburban Cleveland teens apologized on behalf of their clients during the court hearing. Punishment will occur after the court's probation department prepares a presentencing report. Two other teens involved in the prank were accepted into a diversion program and were not in court.

The 15-year-old autistic boy thought he was participating in the ice bucket challenge for charity when the boys dumped the bucket on him in August. All the teens live in Bay Village and attend Bay High School.

The prank went viral after the autistic teen's mother found a video of it on his cellphone and allowed media outlets to make it public.

Attorneys for two of the 16-year-old boys in court Thursday said no one in the group knew the teen was autistic.

"It was pretty big news to my client," said attorney John Lawson.

Lawson said his client has taken responsibility for what he's done. Although the five boys charged in juvenile court are under orders not to have contact with the victim in the prank, Lawson said his client hopes to someday resume his friendship with the autistic teen.

Robert Gray said his client used the autistic teen's cellphone to record the video clip. Gray said there were several buckets on the garage roof that evening and his client knew one contained bodily fluids.

Both attorneys said that they hope their clients are sentenced to community service and that the boys are interested in working with an autism group.

Gray said his client wants to show how contrite he is.

"He can never undo what's already been done," Gray said. "It was a very stupid offense."

Duane Deskins, head of the juvenile division for the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office, said he was looking forward to justice for the victim when the three teens are sentenced. He would not say what he hoped those sentences would be.