High school football player's mom says locker room attack left son with head injuries

DUBLIN, Calif. - Cherie Barfield says her son Dasanni is the Dublin High School freshman who was attacked by four older teenagers and beaten in the school locker room last Friday.

"He was diagnosed with a concussion, he had a black eye and a broken nose and, of course, he's traumatized," Barfield said. "They slammed his head into the locker."

She says her son had been looking forward to playing in his first high school football game. A photo of him in a football uniform hangs in her restaurant, Cherie's Southern Kitchen in Dublin.

The severe injuries from Friday's attack sent him to the hospital, though, and means he won't be able to play in the game.

The victim's brother Bryce Bennett, who works at the restaurant, says he got the phone call Friday from another brother who attends Dublin High School and saw the aftermath of the attack.

Bennett got to the school before his mom and says it was a shock when he found Dasanni.

"There was just blood everywhere over the floor, so it was sickening to see and even that they were able to get into the locker room," Bennett said.

"His whole face was swollen, his eyes were practically shut, and he was screaming and crying at the top of his lungs. He's 14-years-old," Barfield said.  

Barfield says, according to her son, he had been in an argument with a female student, and the girl's mother confronted him after school with four attackers wearing hoodies.

"We did determine that there was a parent of a Dublin High School student that was on campus there and confronted our victim at one point. We were able to see this on video as well," Dublin Police Chief Nate Schmidt said.

Chief Schmidt says they are reviewing surveillance video and believe the attackers are between 16 and 19 years of age.

"This is something that was targeted, and I truly believe we will find out and identify who these subjects are," Chief Schmidt said.

Some community members stopped by the restaurant on Wednesday to show solidarity with the victim's family.

"Trying to just be supportive. I know there's children involved. I don't know the whole story, but you know, violence is not the way to solve anything," said Karen Davis, a customer who drove from Pleasanton to order food from Barfield's restaurant.

Barfield says she is planning to hold a unity brunch at her restaurant Cherie's Southern Kitchen in Dublin on Sunday at 2 p.m. to raise funds and awareness.

"A portion of the proceeds, even through all of this, we will give back to Dublin Unified School District so they can ensure that they have the proper protocols in place to protect our children," Barfield said. "There's no reason for violence. So we have to educate our youth. We have to teach people that violence is not the answer."

Barfield says she is frustrated there have been no arrests and is speaking with an attorney about possible legal action.

The police chief says he plans to update the school district Thursday and, given the severity of Dasanni's injuries, if there's enough evidence, the attackers could face felony assault charges.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dublin Police Services at (925) 833-6670.