Deaf Millsap teen assaulted at sleepover; family seeks criminal charges for suspects
The Parker County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the Sept. 25 assault of a Millsap ISD student who is deaf after video of the incident at a sleepover was posted on social media.
The video shows multiple people off-camera shine a light on Millsap High School senior Trent Irwin at night while he’s asleep before one teen begins slapping him. According to a Facebook post by Irwin’s dad, Jeremy, four classmates who are football players assaulted his son, resulting in profuse nose bleeds lasting several days after the incident.
Since the alleged assault, a social media tag #justicefortrent has been started, spreading the word about Trent Irwin’s injuries and demanding consequences for the suspects.
A 17-year-old male suspect was booked in the Parker County Jail on Thursday on a misdemeanor charge of assault causing bodily injury, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff’s office investigators interviewed several witnesses who were at the house party, the release said. Witnesses told investigators Trent Irwin was asleep in a sleeping bag on the floor “when several teens began ‘messing’ with him by shining a light in his face, laying on top of him and trying to wake him up,” the release said.
The 17-year-old who was arrested “smacked the victim on the face several times,” according to the release. Trent Irwin told his attacker to stop and swung at him when he did not, the sheriff’s office said. Trent got up and charged the suspect, who “body-slammed” Trent and punched him in the face two or three time, the release said.
Some teens at the party helped Trent by cleaning him up and getting a bandage and ice for his facial wounds, the sheriff’s office said.
Trent’s father shared videos and photos of the assault and his son’s injuries on Facebook.
Millsap ISD released a statement Monday regarding the bullying allegations, saying the district was working with local law enforcement to investigate the situation.
“It is with passion and diligence that we strive daily to ensure our students and staff feel safe at Millsap ISD,” the district said in the statement. “Our district does not tolerate or condone bullying or harassing behavior.”
Jeremy Irwin held a #justiceforTrent gathering on Wednesday with support from both local community members and people from outside the area. Supporters held signs for Trent and in protest against bullying in schools.
The next steps for the Irwin family are getting the incident reviewed by the Parker County District Attorney’s Office and seeing consequences for the suspects, Jeremy Irwin said during a Facebook Live at Wednesday’s gathering.
Sheriff Russ Authier said in the release that the investigation is ongoing and will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office when complete.
On Thursday the school district released another statement which said, following the results of a district investigation, student disciplinary measures were administered. The district did not name the disciplined students, citing confidentiality.
The school district also said athletic consequences were also administered and Millsap High School has not given any new football awards since the incident. The suspects are on the high school’s football team, according to the father.
Irwin’s attorney Brett Cain said his firm is still early in their investigation but all signs indicate they will pursue the case in civil court.
Based on previous events in regards to adults involved, parents and the school district, Cain said there was reason to believe that an incident like Irwin’s assault was foreseeable.
Cain said the investigation has led him to believe that alcohol was involved at the sleepover, which was held at a Millsap ISD teacher’s house. The teacher has a child who is a high school senior, he said.
On Friday, a Millsap ISD spokesperson did not answer a question about whether a teacher has been disciplined related to the incident. The spokesperson referred to the previous statement saying the investigation is ongoing.
Although it’s unclear at this time what degree alcohol has in Irwin’s case, Cain said the fact is that the students at the house were under the legal drinking age of 21.
Going forward, the homeowner, school district, parents and students are all on the table as possible people to hold accountable, the attorney said. At this point, Cain said his firm is still trying to determine who is at fault.
He said the family is incredibly thankful for the overwhelming support the community has shown for Irwin so far. If more people come forward and tell the truth, Cain said, they can get a better idea of what happened on Sept. 25.
“Our hope is that concerned citizens in that community continue to come forward. There are a lot of people who were there and a lot of people who saw various things that happened that night,” Cain said. “Our hope is that more people will come forward and tell the truth.”
This story was originally published October 8, 2021 at 11:03 AM.
