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Father urges Lake Stevens council to strengthen safety and evidence preservation after daughter’s violent assault at park
Summary
A Lake Stevens resident described a violent assault on his daughter at North Cove Park, citing $27,000 in immediate dental costs and describing delays in evidence preservation and prosecutorial review; he urged increased patrols, better evidence handling and youth mentorship, and council members expressed concern without recording formal action.
Sam Thompson, a Lake Stevens resident, told the City Council during public comment on June 16 that his daughter was violently assaulted at North Cove Park and that the attack left her with injuries that currently require immediate dental work estimated at $27,000.
"Let that sink in. A kid goes to the local city park, gets bullied, gets beaten, then the video gets posted online," Thompson said. He told the council the footage is about 10 minutes long and urged officials to review it with city staff ("I encourage all of you to get with Jean to watch the videos...").
Thompson criticized the local response, saying evidence was not secured quickly and that, two months after the assault, the Snowish County Prosecutor had not yet decided whether to file charges. He asked the council to prioritize preservation of evidence, increase regular patrols at North Cove Park during peak use, and dedicate resources and mentorship programs for juveniles.
Council members thanked Thompson for speaking and expressed concern about the incident; no formal motion or action was recorded during the meeting to direct staff to specific next steps. Thompson framed his remarks as expectations for accountability and safety improvements: "I'm asking for better gathering and preservation of evidence needed to hold these young troublemakers accountable. I'm asking for regular patrols and an increased safety presence at North Cove Park during peak use."
Next steps: The transcript records council acknowledgment and concern but does not record a formal referral, motion, or specific staff assignment during this meeting. The speaker indicated he will provide video evidence to city staff for review.
