By ,
Published January 14, 2015
A Kansas teen was charged with involuntary manslaughter Wednesday in the death of a 16-year-old schoolmate who collapsed after a fight that was captured on a bystander's cell phone.
Dustin Howard, 16, of Gardner, Kan., is accused of unintentionally killing Dakota DeRemus while committing battery.
Four classmates witnessed the fight and one recorded it on his cell phone, investigators told KCTV5.com.
"If this rumor is true that they decided to videotape my grandson's death, then that is a sick thing to happen," Rosella Davis, DeRemus' grandmother, told the station.
Howard was ordered held in juvenile detention after a brief court hearing Wednesday that ended with the victim's father yelling at Howard's parents and being detained by police. The Johnson County district attorney's office is seeking to have Howard tried as an adult.
DeRemus, a sophomore at Gardner Edgerton High School, attended school Monday and was found dead about 5 p.m. near his home. His death was ruled a homicide after an autopsy determined that DeRemus had a heart condition.
When Johnson County Magistrate Judge Michael Farley ordered Howard to remain in the detention center, DeRemus' father, Scott DeRemus, yelled at Howard's mother and stepfather: "Two years! Two years your son has been bullying my son."
Deputies pinned DeRemus against a wall and later led him away in handcuffs. Other relatives declined to comment.
Howard, also a sophomore at Gardner Edgerton, appeared at the hearing via video feed from the detention center. After Scott DeRemus' outburst, Howard's sobbing mother was led from the courtroom.
Tim Yoho, deputy superintendent at Gardner Edgerton, said counselors had been called in to the school on Tuesday but school was not in session Wednesday through Friday because of snow and parent-teacher conferences.
Yoho said DeRemus' family had asked that no other information be released and said he could not comment on reports that DeRemus had been bullied.
Howard's next court appearance was scheduled for Feb. 19.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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https://www.foxnews.com/story/teen-charged-with-manslaughter-after-schoolyard-beating-leaves-classmate-dead