One In Custody Following Alleged Public Attack On Jerseyville Resident
Reported public battery in Jerseyville results in felony charges amid community support for 18-year-old victim.
JERSEYVILLE – Felony charges have been filed against one of the suspects in an alleged mob action and public battery incident in Jerseyville.
18-year-old Hayden M. Womack of Grafton was charged on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026 in Jersey County court with one count each of aggravated battery in a public place (a Class 3 felony) and mob action (a Class 4 felony).
Charging documents state Womack knowingly gathered with two other individuals, including another 18-year-old and a minor, and engaged in a “reckless use of force or violence” on Aug. 9, 2026. Womack is accused of squirting the victim with a water gun while in a public place, the parking lot of the outdoor Jerseyville Mall, which spans 911 to 943 S. State St.
The charges were filed one day after a GoFundMe was established by the mother of the 18-year-old alleged victim, seeking community support for legal and medical expenses. As of this writing, 343 donations have been made for a total of over $16,000 raised.
The mother’s account of the incident contains details not listed in the public charges, including that her daughter was allegedly physically struck by one of the suspects and that the “water gun” in question was filled with urine.
An arrest warrant has been issued for the other 18-year-old suspect in this case, but no charges have officially been filed at the time of this writing. The charge information for that warrant lists the alleged offense as “aggravated battery – knowingly video or audio record[ing] battery with intent to disseminate.”
The incident gained widespread public attention as a video of the alleged attack, reportedly taken by one of the suspects involved, circulated on social media before being removed.
An official with the Jersey County Circuit Clerk’s Office said more information about the third suspect could not be publicly released at this time, as the suspect is a juvenile.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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