Five women with Ball State University connections who are accused of beating another woman and bragging about it on Facebook all had bonded out of jail by Thursday night, jail officials said.
Ball State students Kari Streib, Ashley Kirkman, Rene Whiteley and Alysse Popov were among those arrested, said Detective Jami Brown of the Muncie Police Department. Former Ball State student Amanda Polson also was arrested.
Brown said in her 10 years as an investigator she can't recall encountering a fight of this magnitude involving women.
"I think it's scary that there's little or no remorse over what happened, or concern," she said. "It's just amazing that you've got five people jumping in on one."
The women are accused of attacking Christina Elslinger, who is not a Ball State student, at a house party in the 1900 block of North Maplewood Avenue, according to police reports.
One of the suspects began arguing with Elslinger, according to reports, and then the others moved in and began beating her.
Elslinger's boyfriend and Ball State student Wade Overton had to pull the attackers off of Elslinger, according to reports.
Elslinger did nothing to provoke the attack, Brown said.
"Basically, it started over a boy," she said.
After the attack, Elslinger was taken to Ball Memorial Hospital where she was treated for a fractured arm, split lip and road rash, according to police reports.
Each of the five was charged with battery with serious bodily injury, Brown said. It is a class C felony, she said, which carries a potential sentence of two to eight years in prison if the accused is convicted.
Further arrests are not expected, Brown said, and the case has not yet been given to the prosecuting attorney.
Elslinger had to have surgery to piece her elbow back together, Brown said. Elslinger was released from the hospital Wednesday.
One of Elslinger's friends became involved with a man Polson was dating, Brown said. The rift between the groups has grown ever since, she said.
"It just kind of seems like this has gotten so out of hand that they don't even know what the heck they're fighting about anymore," Brown said.
Another element that makes this case unusual, she said, was the use of Facebook as a way to boast about the crime.
"The victim, family and Muncie Police Department will be assisted with information from Facebook," Brown said. "It could possibly serve as evidence."
Ball State and Muncie Police worked together to make the arrests, she said. UPD arrested two of the women for the Muncie Police and the university helped to provide information about the location of the women.
Kay Bales, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, said the Student Rights and Community Standards Committee will contact any students involved with the incident.
"Physical abuse and assault is considered a serious offense in our code," she said. "Students who are found responsible for physical abuse or assault can face suspension or expulsion."
Although the event occurred off campus, Bales said the student code would still be in effect for punishment.
"All of us at the university find the situation to be deplorable and we feel great concern for the victim and her family," she said.
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