2 teens charged in viral video beating, hair-chopping of St. Francis girl, 15

Two women in their late teens have been charged in the relentless beating of a 15-year-old St. Francis girl as others stood by.

A 2½-minute video of the late-night assault in a wooded area of St. Francis six weeks ago was captured on video and posted online by the victim's mother. Within days, the video had been viewed more than 300,000 times and has topped 500,000 views as of Monday morning.

Charged on Friday in Anoka County District Court with fifth-degree assault, a misdemeanor, in the June 17 attack on Sydney DeTenancour are Cassandra T. Borden, 18, of Cedar, and Alexis S. Nelson, 19, of Zimmerman. Borden also was charged with misdemeanor fourth-degree property damage.

Borden struck DeTenancour nearly 50 times after saying during a profanity-laced tirade that Borden caught the victim with "my man," according to the charges. The attackers, surrounded by others standing by, also accused DeTenancour of "snitching" on Borden's boyfriend, who was cited for drunken driving.

Nelson is not accused of hitting DeTenancour but did snip off several inches of the victim's hair as DeTenancour was on the ground being and kicked and punched, the criminal complaint alleged. The video also showed the victim being dragged a short distance by what was left of her hair. The assault happened in the woods near The Ponds Golf Course, the complaint says.

Both women were charged by summons and remain free ahead of hearings scheduled for Aug. 25.

Kim Nelson, Alexis Nelson's mother, said Sunday that "a girl behind [Alexis] was egging her on, 'cut her hair, cut her hair.' There was drinking involved, and she just got egged on."

The Borden family has not responded to messages from the Star Tribune seeking reaction to the charges.

DeTenancour came away with bruises, red marks and scratches "all over her body and face, and a large section of her hair had been cut off," the charging documents alleged. She posted online a photo of her swollen and gashed lips.

The teen's beating has inspired a modest antibullying campaign led by her family and friends. T-shirts and bracelets have been made in DeTenancour's honor, and a "Syd's Angels" motorcycle ride is scheduled for next month with the mission of raising awareness about bullying among young people.

The video also shows a third female straddling and punching a prone DeTenancour; she identifies herself as the sister of the man caught drinking and driving. That third attacker is a juvenile, possibly explaining why charges against her have yet to be made public.

In a note accompanying the video on Facebook, Sydney's mother, Jennifer, wrote: "This all started the night before the assault when Sydney was in a car with a group of kids and the driver was pulled over for speeding and was arrested on DWI charges. Somehow through all of this [Borden] decided it was Sydney's fault that he got pulled over and wanted to make her pay for it."

Questioned the day after the attack by police, Borden admitted to striking DeTenancour 20 times, according to the charges. A week after the assault, Nelson acknowledged cutting DeTenancour's hair, the complaint against her says.

The property damage charge against Borden involves the breaking of DeTenancour's $500 cellphone during the beating.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482