A 14-year-old girl is going home following a long hospital stay. Police say two teenage boys shot her in the head and left her for dead in a canal near their school.
Deserae Turner of Smithfield, Utah, was found in extremely critical condition Feb. 17, KSL reports.
Two 16-year-old boys are accused of luring Deserae to join them after school, then shot her in the back of her head. Prosecutors say they stole her belongings and left her in a dry canal.
KSL reports that friends who were searching for her later found her unconscious in the canal.
The teenage boys, who remain unnamed because they are minors, are charged with attempted aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and obstruction of justice.
Authorities testified during hearings that the teenage boys came up with the plan to "get rid" of Deserae while playing video games because one of the boys was tired of getting messages from Deserae on Snapchat.
On Thursday, Deserae appeared at a press conference smiling and holding her mother's hand. Pieces of the bullet still remain inside her head.
“I am so thankful to be here today, to be alive,” Deserae said. “I told by dad that I am tougher than a bullet. It is still with me today.”
At the press conference, Deserae wore a T-shirt that had the word “happy” written on it.
“It says happy on it, and I’m happy to go home,” Deserae said.
Credit: Rick Bowmer
Credit: Rick Bowmer
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