A 12-year-old African American girl from Greenville, South Carolina, is fighting for her life after a suicide attempt that her family claims was a result of relentless bullying at school.
Kelaia Turner’s life changed forever after enduring months of physical and emotional abuse by her peers, which her family alleges was ignored by school officials.
The bullying reportedly began when Kelaia, who had always worn her natural hair, was mocked for her appearance.
Her peers allegedly called her derogatory names like “roach” and “man,” and physically assaulted her.
Despite her mother, Ty Turner, reporting these incidents to Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School several times, the family claims there was no substantial response from the school, leaving Kelaia vulnerable to further harassment.
On March 11, 2023, after confiding in a friend about her suicidal thoughts, Kelaia attempted to hang herself just days later.
She was found lifeless, but after eight minutes without a pulse, paramedics managed to revive her.
Unfortunately, the brain damage from the lack of oxygen left Kelaia nonverbal, immobile, and reliant on a feeding tube and tracheotomy.
Since then, Kelaia’s family has been grappling with the devastating effects of her injuries. Ty Turner described the immense challenges they now face, saying:
“She requires around-the-clock care that her father and I mostly provide. We’ve recently gotten help from a nurse three days a week, but it’s an absolute mountain.”
In response to the tragedy, the Turner family has filed a lawsuit against Greenville County Schools, alleging that the school’s inaction contributed directly to their daughter’s suicide attempt.
The lawsuit claims the school failed to intervene despite multiple reports of bullying and, in some cases, alleges that teachers were complicit in the harassment.
Ty Turner expressed her frustration on social media, saying:
“There is zero tolerance to bullying, except there wasn’t. Some teachers were actually complicit.”
The Turner family is seeking justice and accountability for the lack of action by the school district, which they claim led to the tragic outcome. Greenville County Schools have denied any allegations of negligence, stating they followed all appropriate policies.
In the meantime, Kelaia’s family faces mounting medical expenses as they care for her in the wake of the tragedy. A GoFundMe campaign has raised just a fraction of the funds needed for a wheelchair-accessible van and ongoing care.
