ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Trent Lehrkamp, the victim of abuse at a party in Glynn County, is still in the hospital after he was dropped off barely breathing.
Dozens of community members came together for a rally at the St. Simons Island pier Saturday afternoon to support Lehrkamp.
"I think it should make some type of statement that they actually take into consideration," said Julie Thomas while she marched through the streets of downtown St. Simons Island.
Thomas walked several blocks, Justice for Trent sign in hand in an effort to make that statement.
She was surrounded by a few dozen protestors, bringing attention to the abuse a 19-year-old suffered over the past few weeks.
After seeing the video of Trent Lehrkamp getting hosed down while slumped in a chair and the picture of Lehrkamp covered in spray paint, she feels the other teens at the party should already be charged.
"I have kids, and my kids would've already been arrested," said Thomas.
A sentiment shared by many of the protestors.
"If it was anybody from the other side of this rock, we'd already be in jail," said Sara Parker.
Glynn County Police Chief O'Neal Jackson was there to hear the calls for an arrest, however, he watched from afar surrounded by several of his officers, without addressing the crowd directly.
Jackson urged the community for patience during a news briefing last week.
"If we could just make a case off one single photo, one single video without getting any other type of evidence, then that would not be a proper or thorough investigation," said Jackson during that news conference Wednesday.
While they have to wait longer for charges, the protestors can rally their support behind Lehrkamp, and his battle to recover since getting dropped off at the hospital with a blood alcohol level of .464 and a lung infection.
He moved out of the ICU last week.
"I just hope you're going to be ok man," said Parker. We know you will because you have a community behind you, but we hope you feel the love. We will be here again and again and again until justice is served for this boy."