According to a new lawsuit, a mother has claimed her daughter's high school bullies snuck into a hospital to take photos of her after she attempted suicide.
The lawsuit, filed by the family of Kelaia Turner, now 14, accuses the district and nine faculty members of negligence in failing to protect the girl from over a year of abuse by five of her peers at Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School in Greenville.
According to the lawsuit, Kelaia endured both physical and verbal harassment starting in 2021, per the New York Post.
The bullying escalated to such an extent that Kelaia, seeing no escape, hanged herself in March 2023, when she was 12.
Paramedics revived her after she was clinically dead for eight minutes, but the incident caused severe brain damage, leaving her in a coma for weeks.
While Kelaia was hospitalized, one of the alleged bullies reportedly gained access to the ICU and took photos of her while she was intubated.
The pictures were then allegedly posted on social media alongside mocking comments about her condition, according to the lawsuit.
Kelaia’s mother, Ty Turner, expressed heartbreak and anger at the school district's alleged failure to protect her daughter.
“They used to teach us, ‘Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me,’” Turner told WFY44. “Unfortunately, words do hurt.”
The family claims the bullying began when Kelaia started wearing her natural hair to school. Peers allegedly called her derogatory names such as "roach" and mocked her appearance.
Shockingly, one teacher, Olivia Bennett, is accused of joining in the ridicule by referring to Kelaia as “the roach” in response to students’ taunts.
The lawsuit details repeated incidents of bullying, including verbal harassment, physical assaults, and humiliating pranks.
In one instance, students reportedly drenched Kelaia’s clothing in water before throwing them in the trash.
In another, a teacher, John Teer, allegedly allowed a racist YouTube video titled The Black People Song to play aloud in class without intervention.
Kelaia’s parents reported the bullying to school officials and sought to move her to another class, but they allege little to no action was taken.
The situation worsened in 2022 when Kelaia was suspended following a fight with one of the bullies. Her tormentor faced no disciplinary consequences, the lawsuit claims.
On March 17, 2023, the harassment reached a tragic climax. Kelaia attempted to take her own life by hanging herself with a belt in her bedroom.
“She was cool to the touch, blood was coming out of her nose,” her mother said. “She had fully committed to what it was that she was attempting to do, and she was gone for 8 whole minutes.”
The lawsuit, filed in November, seeks damages to cover Kelaia’s extensive medical and psychiatric care, special education, life care expenses, and the emotional and psychological toll on her family.
Greenville County Schools denies the allegations.
“We disagree with these allegations and have conducted a thorough investigation and review of each allegation at the time they were made,” the district said in a statement.
“While we do not agree with the allegations, our hearts go out to Kelaia Tecora Turner, her mother, and their family.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the family, with $59,000 raised at the time of writing.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.