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Redmond Teens Sentenced for Assaulting Mom

REDMOND, OR -- A Redmond 17-year-old and his girlfriend were sentenced Thursday for assaulting his mother. Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel says Dakota Ortwein waited for his mom to come home May 19, sprayed her with pepper spray, beat her with a baseball bat and planned to burn down the house with her inside. She was able to wrestle away the bat and call 911.  

 

D.A Hummel tells KBND News, "Dakota’s mother was not happy with Dakota and Reyanne being together in a relationship. She had concerns about Reyanne’s negative influence on her son. She made that clear to Dakota she did not approve of the relationship, so Dakota and Reyanne thought they needed to get rid of Dakota’s mom so the two of them could be together."

 

Ortwein was sentenced to 70 months and West to 20 months. Hummel says the plea deal was delicate. "I can’t think of much worse than beating your mom with a bat. So, knowing that, it has to be a significant punishment; our community needs to stand up and say that’s not going to be allowed in Deschutes County. Also, recognized, though Reyanne West planned it with Dakota, she did not actually execute the plan; so they needed to be treated differently." And, Hummel says, he took into account the science that reveals adolescent brains have "weak brakes."

 

He adds, Thursday's sentencing was one of the most emotional hearings he’s ever experienced. "Dakota’s mom spoke. She cried. She told Dakota she loved him; she expressed that she forgave him. She does not approve of what he did and she knows he needs to serve a significant time; she felt the sentence was a little too long. What came out to me was how supportive she is and what a wonderful person she is, because that’s her son and she’s going to stand by him in spite of what he did to her."

 

West and Ortwein will serve their adult convictions at a juvenile correctional facility, at least until they are 18. Hummel has recommended they remain at a juvenile facility for their full sentence, although that will be left up to the Oregon Youth Authority.

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