Three Australian Teens Charged in Brutal Beating of Autistic Boy Lured via Snapchat

Three teenage boys have been charged in connection with the violent assault and robbery of a 15-year-old boy with autism and epilepsy near a railway station in Stawell, Victoria, an attack that was recorded on video and has sparked community outrage.

Victoria Police announced Tuesday that detectives from the Northern Grampians Crime Investigation Unit arrested two 15-year-olds and a 14-year-old after executing four search warrants across the region. All three face charges of affray, robbery, recklessly causing injury and theft, and are scheduled to appear in a children’s court at a later date. A fourth male is expected to be interviewed as the investigation continues.

The attack occurred on Oct. 5 after the victim was allegedly lured to the area through a Snapchat meetup arranged with two girls, according to Australian media reports. Video circulating online shows multiple teenagers punching and kicking the boy, knocking him to the ground and continuing to strike him as he tries to escape. One assailant demands the victim’s shoes before the group allows him to leave.

The victim suffered soft tissue injuries and possible head trauma. His mother told news.com.au that doctors were conducting additional scans to check for brain bleeding. “I’m just lucky to have him alive … he’s having nightmares,” she said. The boy has since returned home but is reportedly afraid to go outside.

The case has drawn attention to the vulnerability of neurodivergent youth to targeted violence and the role of social media platforms in facilitating such attacks. In recent years, Australian authorities have warned of a trend in which young people use dating and messaging apps to lure victims to isolated locations for robbery or assault. Similar patterns have emerged in the United States, where law enforcement in multiple states have reported cases involving apps like Snapchat, Grindr and Tinder being used to set up violent robberies.

Superintendent Dan Davison acknowledged the distress the incident caused in Stawell, a town of roughly 6,000 people about 230 kilometers northwest of Melbourne. “There is never any excuse for violence in our community, and we will not accept it in any form,” Davison said. He confirmed that additional patrols would be deployed throughout the area while detectives continue their investigation, which police are treating as an isolated incident.

Australia’s children’s courts operate under different sentencing frameworks than adult courts, emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment. The maximum penalties for the charges filed vary by jurisdiction but can include detention in youth justice centers. Victoria Police have not released the identities of the accused due to their age.

The assault has renewed calls from disability advocates for stronger protections and awareness campaigns targeting the heightened risk of violence faced by people with autism. Research from organizations including Autism Spectrum Australia indicates that individuals on the spectrum are significantly more likely to experience bullying, exploitation and physical abuse than the general population.

Snapchat’s parent company, Snap Inc., has faced increasing scrutiny globally over safety features for minors. The platform introduced Family Center tools in 2022 allowing parents limited oversight of their teens’ contacts, but critics argue the measures fall short of preventing misuse. The company has not publicly commented on this specific incident.

Police are urging anyone with additional footage or information about the attack to come forward.