Police: Boys victimize girls at middle school

Three boys have been referred to juvenile court for unspecified incidents involving girls that occurred at John T. Magee Middle School in Round Lake, authorities said Friday.

Round Lake's director of police administration, Michael Recupito, said all three boys were referred to Lake County juvenile prosecutors on disorderly conduct charges March 25. He said two of the boys also were referred to juvenile court on battery charges.

Juvenile court dates for the boys were not immediately available. Recupito did not have the boys' ages or what grade they are in at Magee.

Declining to elaborate, Recupito said an investigation determined the three boys engaged in "inappropriate behavior" in series of incidents with three girls at the school, which serves more than 600 students in grades six through eight.

Investigators found the activity by the boys against the victims may have spanned at least two months, Recupito said. He said police received a formal complaint after the latest incident March 18 at Magee.

"The complaint did not come from the school," Recupito said.

Round Lake Area Unit District 116 board President Nanci Radford said Friday she was not made aware of the incidents.

Recupito said Round Lake police worked on the case with the Lake County juvenile prosecutors.

Magee, near Cedar Lake and Hart roads, was closed in 2004 and in need of numerous improvements when the voters approved a tax hike. Safety problems also were cited for its closure.

Voters approved a tax increase that provided about $15 million for demolition, renovation and an addition to Magee, and $2 million for other projects. Magee reopened in August 2008 with technology and aesthetics that District 116 officials said are comparable to buildings in wealthier Lake County school systems.