Girl Survived Near-Fatal Suicide Attempt After Bullying. A Student Visited Her in the ICU and Took Photos: Suit

Mar. 15, 2025

Kelaia Turner.Photo:GoFundMe

GoFundMe

“She was gone for eight whole minutes,” Ty told the station. “Paramedics couldn’t find a pulse, and they couldn’t find her heartbeat. There were grown men in the room crying.”

While Kelaia was in the ICU, one of her classmates visited her — and then took photos of her, according to the complaint. After the student called another student, “one of the two minors” circulated the pictures on social media and “assisted in spreading rumors about [Kelaia’s] injuries.”

Defendants named in the filing — including Kelaia’s teacher, Olivia Bennett, allegedly failed to stop the students’ bullying.

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“On Friday, December 17, 2021, fellow students were calling her a man and roach in Olivia Bennett’s class,” according to the complaint. “Ms. Bennett was complicit in the bullying and said nothing to the other students to stop it. One student asked, ‘Where’s the roach?’ and Ms. Bennett pointed to [Kelaia].”

In a separate instance, students in another classroom “played a song and video on YouTube called ‘The Black People Song,’ ” the complaint said.

“Defendant Teer allowed the song to be played without any comment on its offensiveness, nor any reprimand to or discussion with the student who played it,” according to the complaint.

Kelaia’s parents “continually complained” and brought attention to the bullying and harassment, according to the complaint. But, her mother wrote in the fundraiser that “despite our efforts to address the issue, nothing changed.”

Now, the Turner family is seeking justice for the once “joyful and talented” girl, who is now wheelchair-bound and non-verbal.

“We are fighting for Kelaia’s healing and well-being every day, believing that she has a purpose and that her story can inspire others,” Ty added in the fundraiser.

Greenville County Schools spokesman Tim Waller tells PEOPLE in a statement on Wednesday, Dec. 4, that the district extends its “heartfelt sympathies” to Kelaia and her family.

“The school and district administrations investigated and addressed each of the reported incidents in accordance with policy and law,” Waller says. “No parent concerns or reports of bullying were ignored, and all were directly addressed with the student’s mother. We firmly deny the allegations made in the lawsuit that bullying and parent concerns at Fisher Middle School were not addressed. In order to maintain the integrity of the litigation process, it would be inappropriate for us to further elaborate on the details of the case.”

“Greenville County Schools strictly prohibits all forms of bullying, discrimination, harassment, and intimidation,” the spokesperson adds. “Every school implements anti-bullying strategies and programs to help students recognize and report bullying.”

The family’s attorney, Josh Christian, tells PEOPLE in a statement on Thursday, Dec. 5, that his firm’s “hearts break for this wonderful and caring family.”

The attorney notes that “bringing light to the bullying and ramifications of bullying, if not prevented, can allow us to tell Kelaia’s story in an effort to better protect youth and children moving forward in South Carolina.”

source: people.com