Two teenagers were arrested after being filmed bullying a boy near Golden Valley High School

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — WARNING: This article contains content that some may find disturbing. Readers are asked to exercise discretion.

Two teenagers were arrested Tuesday afternoon after surveillance camera footage documented the alleged bullying of a boy near Golden Valley High School on Monday.

A surveillance camera in front of a house shows two teenagers approaching a 12-year-old boy on Monday afternoon.

In the audio, one of the two teens can be heard telling the boy to “lick the bottom of my shoe.” When the boy gets on his knees, the other boy appears to slap him. The boy then does as he is told.

The video shows other children surrounding the group, apparently recording the incident.

When the homeowner comes outside, the children scatter. The resident asked the boy, “Are you OK?” and the boy answered with tears.

Bakersfield Police said officers responded to the 1400 block of Quartz Hill Road on August 27, 2024, for an assault report. Police said the incident was related to a video circulating on social media that allegedly shows a child being bullied by two students at Golden Valley High School.

Police said that during their investigation, with the help of the Kern High School District, officers were able to identify the 14- and 15-year-old defendants pictured in the video.

According to BPD, the teens were arrested and booked into the juvenile hall for assault, false imprisonment and conspiracy.

The video quickly spread on social media.

The victim's sister, Mariah Washington, held a protest rally outside Golden Valley High School on Tuesday afternoon, where students and community members called for the expulsion and punishment of the children involved.

The protest took place before the arrests were announced.

Washington told Eyewitness News her brother is 12 years old.

Washington told Eyewitness News at the protest: “I didn't know people cared so much. It's really touching because he always feels alone. He always feels isolated.”

RELATED TOPICS: KHSD releases statement after bullying incident near Golden Valley High School

The Kern High School District released a statement about the incident, saying:

On Monday afternoon, Golden Valley High School administrators were made aware of a video documenting an incident involving students in a neighborhood near campus. The actions depicted in the video are deeply disturbing and are not consistent with the values ​​of Golden Valley High School. We stand firmly against such behavior and do not tolerate bullying.

Golden Valley High School remains committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all students. We are actively investigating this matter and working closely with the Bakersfield Police Department and Kern High School District Police to address it appropriately.

Golden Valley High School encourages anyone who witnesses bullying to immediately report it to an adult on school property or anonymously through the “Bulldog Report” on the home page of the school website.

The Bulldog Report on the Golden Valley High School website can be found here.

The Greenfield Union School District also released a statement on the incident, saying:

The Greenfield Union School District has been made aware of a disturbing bullying incident captured on video involving one of our students and several students from another local school district.

Our top priority is the well-being of our students and we have launched an investigation into the incident.

We encourage families to talk to their students about bullying during this time. School safety is a shared responsibility. Greenfield USD offers numerous resources to help families and students, including licensed social workers and counselors on campus and access to the STOP-IT app to report bullying.