PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — On Friday, June 24 around 8:00 p.m., 53-year-old Ben Wheelock left his home to see a show. Not long thereafter, nearby home surveillance footage shows a group of teenagers rushing up behind him as he walked, brutally attacking him near 16th and Mount Vernon Streets. According to his wife Michelle Ferrara, he was beaten so badly that when police found him, they thought he was in a car accident. Wheelock suffered massive head trauma, and a section of his skull was removed to reduce swelling. His memory is just starting to improve.
“He’s doing about as well as can be expected,” Ferrara said. “The long term issue is going to be his memory and his language, he’s having a really hard time getting words out.”
Wheelock remains in the hospital but has been cleared to leave the intensive care unit. He has a long road of rehabilitation ahead.
The vicious random attack has shaken the neighborhood as sources have confirmed that three of the four attackers are from an area shelter for children in crisis. This allegedly is not the first time neighbors have had run-ins with teenagers, as many have complained of various nuisances such as random rock throwing, cursing, pot smoking, and theft. One neighbor, who didn’t want to be identified for fear of retaliation, said she’s seen first hand some of the delinquent behavior, and she’s convinced it’s the fault of the shelter.
“That facility takes over the responsibility of the parents, and they are not doing it,'' she said. “What happened to Ben is like the natural escalation of what has been going on and the neighbors have been trying to deal.”
Representatives of the shelter did not return a request for comment.
Michelle Ferrera, meanwhile, is torn about the incident. Despite what happened to her husband, she empathizes with the youth involved.
“It’s really tragic on every level all around. They (the children) started in a tragic place, their parents failed them, the system failed them, our country has failed them,” Ferrara said. “The emotional recovery is going to take months for all of us, and a lot of other people in the neighborhood.”
Still, Ferrara said she is absolutely horrified and sickened by the teens' actions, and prays that justice is served.
The four juveniles ages 15-17 were arrested the following day at the Marriott hotel on Market Street. Police say they stole Wheelock’s credit cards, along with his car and booked a room. They have all been charged with attempted murder, robbery, aggravated assault, and related offenses. A court date is pending.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family including their 4-year-old son. Money will also be raised during a neighborhood block party on July 17.
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