A Lesbian Teen Was Brutally Attacked Inside A McDonald’s
What started as a stop for food ended in violence and trauma for the 19-year-old, who says she was targeted for being gay.
Kady Grass made a quick stop at a McDonald’s earlier this month that ended with a fractured nose, bloodied eyes, and a fight for justice. The 19-year-old from Delavan, Wisconsin, had traveled to Carpentersville, Illinois, to visit family and attend her 13-year-old cousin’s choir concert. After the show, they stopped at the fast food restaurant. That’s when two individuals allegedly made derogatory comments about her sexual orientation and became violent, according to the Village of Carpentersville Police Department.
Grass said she briefly entered the women’s restroom on May 13 but walked out when it was occupied. As she exited, a group of teens nearby began hurling anti-gay slurs at her. She told ABC News she mumbled under her breath but did not engage, telling her cousin to “not give them another reason to talk to us.”
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One of the teens—a juvenile male—approached Grass and said they should “take it outside.” Her cousin warned her that the group had said they had a gun and planned to kill her. No weapon was found, but the threat of violence turned all too real.
19-year-old John Kammrad confronted her and said, “You’re a woman, you’re not tough.” Grass replied, “I know I’m a woman. I’m a lesbian.” What happened next was sudden and brutal. One attacker punched her in the jaw. Another struck her from behind. Grass tried to protect herself, falling to the ground, but the two males allegedly stomped on her head until she lost consciousness.
The attack left her with a broken nose, a hemorrhage in her eye, and severe bruising. “They were trying to kill me,” she said.
As she lay unconscious, two girls, who police say were with the attackers, allegedly stole her phone, her cousin’s phone, and her wallet. Police later confirmed that the girls would face misdemeanor charges. Kammrad was arrested on May 17 and charged with multiple felonies, including aggravated battery and mob action. The juvenile male turned himself in a day earlier.
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The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office asked Grass whether she would support filing hate crime charges. She said yes, but so far, none have been filed. “Even if they don’t agree with the LGBTQ community, they have no right to make it physical,” she said. “There was no right to do this to me just because they didn’t like that I date women instead of men.”
A GoFundMe has been launched to help cover Grass’ medical bills and legal expenses. Kammrad is scheduled for a status hearing on May 22, with a plea setting hearing to follow on June 27.
