In a shocking incident in South Carolina, USA, some middle school bullies first allegedly pushed a 12-year-old girl to end her life by hanging and later went to the ICU and clicked pictures to mock her online. While the girl attempted to end her life on 17th March 2023, the case has made headlines now as the disturbing details of the lawsuit filed by the victim’s mother have emerged.
The victim identified as Kelaia Turner, was subjected to physical and verbal abuse by five of her peers at Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School in Greenville, South Carolina, for more than a year. Kelaia attempted suicide in 2023. As per an NY Post report, she was pronounced dead eight minutes before the doctors revived her.
“She was cool to the touch, blood was coming out of her nose. She had fully committed to what it was that she was attempting to do, and she was gone for 8 whole minutes,” the victim’s mother said.
Consequently, the girl sustained severe brain injury and was in a coma for several weeks. Meanwhile, one of the bullies went to the ICU and photographed the comatose girl, then published them on social media to circulate rumours about her injuries and mock her.
The victim’s mother, Ty Turner, has filed a case against Greenville County Schools, alleging negligence in addressing her bullying and harassment accusations.
The 24-page lawsuit says that the school let bullying continue for a year and a half and that staff and teachers played a role in their daughter’s suicide attempt. It further claims that the bullying began in 2021, when Kelaia began wearing her natural hair to school, prompting students to call her a “roach” and that she resembled “a man.”
Kelaia’s teacher allegedly joined in on the harassment and mockery, acknowledging when her bullies questioned, “Where’s the roach?” when referring to Kelaia Turner. The victim’s mother claimed to have complained to the school authorities seven to nine times, however, no concrete action was taken.
Kelaia’s parents alleged in 2022 that students played an inflammatory YouTube video titled ‘The Black People Song’ loudly in class and that their teacher did not stop them.
Later in the year, bullies allegedly splashed water on the girl’s clothes before throwing them away. After a series of verbal and physical attacks, things worsened when Kelaia got into an altercation with one of her bullies, prompting school administrators to suspend her rather than the bully.
On March 17th, 2023, the victim’s mother found her daughter in her room after she tried suicide. In response to Ty Turner’s allegations against the school staff, the Greenville Country Schools authorities rejected the allegations, claiming that they responded appropriately when harassment complaints were brought up.
Name and show the bullies and their trash parents from Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School in Greenville.
— Didumissthenews (@didumissthenews) December 3, 2024
Sue the hospital as well. Kelaia Turner needs all the justice https://t.co/sw2lANGC9Z
The disturbing incident has enraged the netizens who demand stern action against the bullies and the school administration. In this vein, one X user wrote, “Name and show the bullies and their trash parents from Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School in Greenville. Sue the hospital as well. Kelaia Turner needs all the justice.”
I hope these demonic children and their shitty ass parents and teachers and school officials get exactly what they gave out and what they allowed to happen. #kelaiaturner #fishermiddle @FisherMiddle #phinnizejfishermiddleschool https://t.co/rTiUvdmUjU
— Norf Davis (@humbleanger) December 3, 2024
“I hope these demonic children and their shitty ass parents and teachers and school officials get exactly what they gave out and what they allowed to happen,” another one wrote.
This is truly sick and heartbreaking. These bullies need to go to prison.
— RedWhiteandBlue1111 (@RBlue111183996) December 4, 2024
Justice for Kelaia Turner https://t.co/CJJ5wLouBs
Similarly, another one said, “This is truly sick and heartbreaking. These bullies need to go to prison. Justice for Kelaia Turner.”
