Shaylee Mejia Memorial.Photo:gofundme
gofundme
A 16-year-old girl suffered “accidental” “sequelae of blunt head trauma” and died 10 days after she was in a violent fight at her Los Angeles-based high school, perthe County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Tuesdayreport.
On March 5, Shaylee Mejia was involved in a fight at Manual Arts High School. Video footage documents Mejia hitting her head against a bathroom stall and falling, per theLos Angeles Times,ABC 7andKTLA 5.
Her mother Maria Juarez said that Mejia had complained about a headache for several days following the attack, KTLA reports.
Four days later, Mejia fainted at a birthday party, and a friend took her to the hospital. By the time her mother arrived, the teenager was unconscious and in serious condition after suffering a brain hemorrhage, per theLos Angeles Times.
Her mother, 34, was then informed of the March 5 attack. As Mejia remained in the hospital, she never regained consciousness and was declared dead on March 15.
Stock image of a school hallway.Getty
Getty
Juarez said she first learned her daughter had allegedly been bullied at school following a fight on Dec. 13. Juarez told theLos Angeles Timesthat she found her daughter at home trembling and sweating. After much hesitation, Mejia eventually explained to her mother that she was being bullied for being a new student at Manual Arts High School. As a result, she had gotten into a fight that December day and was left with bruises all over her arms and chest.
Juarez then attempted to tell administrators about what happened the next day. She said her concerns were dismissed, but she stayed on site until a report was filed. She alleged the faculty failed to take action and follow up with her, per theLos Angeles Times.
“As a mother, I had full confidence in leaving her at the school and knowing everything would be OK,” Juarez told theLos Angeles Times. “I’m in shock. I have another child who is 3 years old now. How will I send him to school? I will just be thinking that I am sending my child to his death again.”
Shaylee Mejia Memorial.gofundme
Juarez has obtained attorney Luis Carrillo, who is working on filing a lawsuit.
“You can see how her head hits that particular wall,” Carrillo explained to theLos Angeles Times, referencing the video footage. “It was grotesque the way her head hit the wall.
“They don’t protect the kids,” said Carrillo. “I believe that the failure to protect [Juarez’s] child is the main reason why she’s dead right now. … If they had taken action in December, the child would still be alive.”
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They added, “Every member of the Manual Arts High School community matters and this loss impacts us all.”
AGoFundMe fundraiserwas created to help Juarez raise money for funeral expenses.
Representatives for Carrillo, Manual Arts High School, and the L.A. Medical Examiner Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Wednesday.
source: people.com
