A 12-year-old Brooklyn girl was beaten by a group of girls in Coney Island on June 14, according to her family, who say what started near a playground quickly spilled into the street. The victim, identified by relatives as Kamyra Ingram, had been hanging out at a nearby park when a group approached and followed her to West 27th Street near Surf Avenue. In a cellphone video the family says they received, several girls appear to pull her hair and punch and kick her as she tries to walk away. Ingram was taken to a local hospital and has since been treated for headaches, her family says.
Ingram and her mother broke their silence in an interview with News 12, recounting how the confrontation escalated. They say the other girls tried to pressure Ingram into fighting, then trailed her out of the park and into the street. Her mother, Lateefa Coleman, told the station that one girl "didn’t like her because of how she looks and because of her skin," and said the family is haunted by how much worse the beating could have been. The family says the clip was shared with them after the fact and they are urging anyone who filmed the assault to give the footage to investigators.
How juvenile cases move through the system
Because the suspected attackers are so young, any criminal case would typically move through New York’s juvenile system, which, under the state’s "Raise the Age" framework, leans heavily on diversion and youth services instead of adult-style prosecution. The state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services publishes guidance and data explaining how juvenile matters are processed and how local courts and probation departments plan for youth cases. If charges are ultimately filed, cases involving preteens are usually handled in Family Court or youth-focused parts of the system that are meant to balance accountability with rehabilitation, according to the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services.
Not an isolated episode in the neighborhood
Neighbors say tensions among kids and teens in and around Coney Island have been bubbling up all year and that arguments can turn physical in a heartbeat. Back in February, for example, a 13-year-old was slashed after what was described as a morning dispute, a grim reminder of how a playground-style spat can flip into a serious street crime. Incidents like that one, paired with the latest attack, have left parents and residents pushing for more supervision and faster intervention to stop conflicts before someone gets hurt.
Police search for suspects
The NYPD is asking the public to help identify four girls investigators believe were involved in the attack. Authorities told News 12 the girls are thought to be between 10 and 12 years old and that detectives are combing through cellphone video. The family says they have already turned over the footage they received and are urging anyone else who recorded the assault to do the same. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the NYPD to help them piece together what led up to the beating and what happened in the moments after.
Coleman says the ordeal has left her sleepless and on edge, and the family is calling not only for accountability but for adults to start teaching kids real de-escalation skills. For parents, schools and neighbors, the attack is a jarring reminder to keep a closer eye on where children gather and to share any video or tips that might help investigators close the case.
