By TIM UNRUH

Salina Journal

ASHERVILLE -- Samantha Winkel said the damage done to her home Jan. 20 by a large group of Mitchell County teenagers is far worse than what she says has been described by the media or in stories going around the Beloit area.

"The mess was awful. It took hours and hours to clean up," said Winkel, 20.

"Everybody in Beloit thinks they didn't do anything. They're sadly mistaken," she said.

Some 27 youths, most of them Beloit High School students, were involved in the party that Winkel said caused more than $20,000 in damage and property loss to their house at 3581 M Road between Asherville and Simpson in eastern Mitchell County.

Ten of the youths, so far, have been charged with misdemeanors related to the damage and thefts. Their first appearance in court is 1:30 p.m. Feb. 26.

Mitchell County Attorney Jess Hoeme said he hasn't decided whether to charge any of the other 17 youths, saying he is basing those decisions on the evidence and the facts presented.

He plans to meet with them and their parents Wednesday night.

"I'm going to discuss with them their options. I haven't told them what their options are," Hoeme said Monday.

The meeting will be closed, but Winkel and her fiance, Travis Garst, who lives with her at their home, have been invited, Hoeme said.

Destroyed everything

Winkel said she and Garst and their two young daughters had spent the night of Jan. 20 with Garst's parents in Mankato.

She said Garst was the first to arrive at their home about 11 a.m. Jan. 21, which was a Monday, and noticed every window on the east side was shattered.

An oil lantern and curtain were stuck in a storm window.

"They destroyed everything. Nothing was in place," Winkel said.

The surround-sound system was ripped from the television. Shelves were broken where pictures of their 3- and 1-year-old daughters were displayed. Clocks were taken off the wall. Two big holes were kicked in a living room wall.

Cupboards were open in the kitchen and items strewn about. In the couple's bedroom, linens and blankets were off the bed, a television and entertainment stand were thrown to the floor. Drawers were emptied on the floor.

"You couldn't even see the bedroom or living room floor. That's how dismantled it was," Winkel said.

Smashed the baby's crib

Someone jumped on their baby's crib and smashed it, she said, and punched a hole through a closet wall into another bedroom.

"My poor 3-year-old is saying, 'Why did they do this Mommy,' " Winkel said.

She said the county attorney and their insurance company are working to arrive at a dollar estimate of damage.

Hoeme said he has hired a "potential expert" in the case, a Beloit contractor.

"They tore through the yard and left ruts and beer cans," Winkel said.

The couple couldn't take pictures because their camera was stolen, she said, along with a computer, stereo, and other electronic equipment.

House not abandoned

She scoffed at the explanations given by the youths.

"They're trying to say 'We thought this house was abandoned.' When you walk into a house and there's a deep freezer full of food, food in the cupboards and when the lights are turn on, obviously it was not abandoned. They knew it was occupied," Winkel said

She said the family is living with Garst's parents in Mankato.

"We don't even feel comfortable being out there at night. Even though we know it was just kids being obnoxious, it's not home anymore. We don't feel comfortable that somebody came and did that," Winkel said.

Hoeme said restitution is among his three objectives in the case, which are "to punish, restore the victim and prevent it from occurring again."

n Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by e-mail at tunruh@salina.com.

Join the Discussion:

Salina.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here. Read our full online terms of service policy.

Post a comment
Your best chance of getting your comment posted:

• No profanity
• Be civil
• Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

Comment:

Poster:

Enter text seen above:

Read our full use policy.