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Family speaks out after Ice Bucket Challenge becomes ‘sick joke’ against teen with autism

Posted at 9:07 PM, Sep 03, 2014
and last updated 2014-09-03 21:39:02-04

*WARNING: Portions of the above video are disturbing; FOX 8 says family members have asked that it be made public to make other parents aware of bullying*

BAY VILLAGE, Ohio — An Ohio family is outraged after they say a teenager with autism became the victim of a cruel prank while trying to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

The boy’s mother Diane, who is only being identified by her first name, spoke out to FOX 8 about the incident.

She said that a group of juveniles put feces, urine, spit and cigarette butts into the bucket that was later dumped on her 15-year-old son.

“The bucket challenge is supposed to be raising awareness for this disease and now they’ve turned it into a sick joke,” she said. “I just can’t understand why kids would do something this cruel.”

She later discovered the video on his phone, and said her family wants it to be made public to make other parents aware of bullying.

“I want these kids held accountable for what they did to him and they targeted somebody who just didn’t really understand what was going on,” she said.

A spokesperson for the boy’s high school tells FOX 8 they are working with Bay Village Police as they investigate the incident.

Read more at FOX 8