The girl’s father and the musician’s wife are in dispute about what the object was.
By Jonathan Friedman / Assistant Editor
A girl visiting Little Dume Beach with her family on Saturday was struck in the head with an object allegedly thrown from the property of famed saxophonist Kenny G, whose real name is Kenneth Gorelick. The Lost Hills/Malibu Sheriff’s Station is investigating the incident.
San Dimas resident Bart Porter said he, his wife and three children were visiting the beach with Point Dume resident Brian Rogers, who had a key to access a private pathway to the beach. While the three adults were in the ocean, the three children- nine-year-old Brooke, who was struck with the object, 15-year-old Christine and 12-year-old Chase-sat on the sand, watching the waves.
Christine said in a phone interview Monday, in her recollection of Saturday’s events, that she heard chatter from a balcony of a home atop a bluff behind her. Then suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw what she said was a rock striking her sister in the head.
“I turned around, and I knew it was from that direction [of the home],” she said. “I yelled ‘Hey!’ There were about two or three kids. They just ran in.”
Christine then screamed for her parents. Bart Porter, his wife and their friend, Rogers, immediately ran to the scene, Christine said. Porter said in a phone interview on Monday that his daughter, Brooke, was “bleeding profusely.”
Her mother drove Brooke to Malibu Urgent Care, where she received stitches. She is scheduled for an MRI this week.
Meanwhile, Porter and Rogers stayed behind at the beach. Porter said he tried to find an adult to talk with about the incident, but was unable to get somebody to appear for nearly 20 minutes. During that time he jumped over a fence of the estate in search of an adult, Porter said. Finally, he was met by Lyndie Benson, wife of Kenny G.
Benson acknowledged in a phone interview on Monday that someone had thrown something which struck nine-year-old Brooke, and also said she has paid for the girl’s Urgent Care visit, which Porter acknowledged.
However, Benson disputed it was a rock that was thrown at Brooke and that it was intentional. She said it was a rolled up Power-Bar, and that a friend of her 13-year-old son threw it.
“They weren’t trying to hurt anybody,” Benson said. “They’re just kids. They’re 13-year-olds. They were just trying to be silly. Now they all know better.”
Benson said she spoke to the parents of her son’s friends about the incident, and that everybody has learned their lesson.
An employee of the Gorelick family, who asked that only his first name, Shaun, be used for this story, said he arrived shortly after the incident.
He walked over to the scene, and upon learning that Brooke had been hit, asked if she needed to be brought up to the house for help.
Porter said on Monday he did not recall anyone coming down to speak with him. He added that he is offended by the suggestion it was not a rock that hit his daughter.
“This was a loud smack that split her head to the skull,” Porter said. “There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that this was a freaking rock. I can’t believe she [Benson] would do this. This is a joke.”
Sheriff’s deputies eventually arrived at the scene. Sgt. Jim Royal of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station said on Tuesday that an investigation is being conducted. He said there was no information to release as of Tuesday, but he believed there would be a progress report of the investigation available later in the week.
Porter said in addition to filing a lawsuit, he was considering filing criminal charges.
“This does not make sense,” Shaun said. “Kids are kids. Kids get hurt. Kids can make the wrong choices. And kids learn from their lessons. This man is taking advantage of the situation by trying to throw a lawsuit. They’re a great family.”
Porter said, “I would like to see something done so this doesn’t happen to other people.”