A shocking lawsuit alleges that bullies who tormented a 12-year-old girl to the point of attempting suicide later sneaked into her ICU room to take photos, which they circulated on social media.
The victim, Kelaia Turner, a student at Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School in Greenville County, endured relentless physical and verbal abuse from classmates who called her “roach” and “moustache face,” according to a 24-page federal lawsuit filed by her parents.
Her mother, Ty Turner, believes the bullying began when Kelaia started wearing her natural hair to school and escalated over time. Disturbingly, the lawsuit claims that some teachers, including one named Olivia Bennett, were complicit in the bullying.
The abuse reached its breaking point on March 16, 2023, when Kelaia attempted suicide by hanging herself with a belt in her bedroom. Paramedics revived her after she was clinically dead for eight minutes. Despite their efforts, Kelaia suffered severe brain damage, leaving her reliant on a tracheostomy tube to breathe and a feeding tube for nourishment.
During her 101-day hospitalization, including weeks in a coma, the alleged bullies sneaked into her ICU room to take photos of her condition.
The lawsuit details years of bullying, beginning in August 2021, when classmates began mocking Kelaia’s appearance, calling her “like a man.” It also accuses teacher Olivia Bennett of enabling the abuse, citing an incident where Bennett allegedly pointed to Kelaia when students asked, “Where’s the roach?”
Repeated complaints by Kelaia’s mother to school officials about the bullying reportedly yielded no action. Instead, the lawsuit claims that Kelaia was suspended following a fight, while the other student involved faced no consequences.
In another instance, the lawsuit alleges a teacher, John Teer, allowed a classmate to play a racially offensive song, “The Black People Song,” without intervening. Despite promises of investigations, the bullying persisted, culminating in the tragic suicide attempt.
Ty Turner recounted the harrowing moment her daughter was revived, describing how paramedics initially found no pulse or heartbeat. “She was cool to the touch, blood was coming out of her nose, and she had already urinated on herself,” Turner said. “But I prayed, and after a few minutes, a paramedic found a faint pulse.”
The family’s lawsuit accuses nine teachers and faculty members of failing to create a safe environment free from abuse, violating Kelaia’s rights under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title IX protections against gender discrimination.
They are seeking actual and punitive damages to cover Kelaia’s medical bills, psychiatric care, special education, life care expenses, and compensation for emotional and psychological harm.
