Nationwide — Kelaia Turner, a 12-year-old African American girl from Greenville, South Carolina, is at the center of a heartbreaking lawsuit filed by her family against Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School in Greenville County. The lawsuit alleges that school officials ignored relentless bullying, leaving Kelaia to endure severe physical and emotional abuse. Her family claims the school’s inaction led to a suicide attempt that has left the young girl permanently disabled.According to her mother, Ty Turner, the bullying began when Kelaia started wearing her natural hair to school at age 11. She was allegedly branded with slurs like “roach” and “man” by peers and physically assaulted. Despite Ty’s repeated efforts—reporting incidents to the school at least seven to nine times—the family alleges that no meaningful action was taken. Ty told WYFF, “Half the time they didn’t respond, and if they did, it wasn’t with anything substantive. There was never any resolution.”
Shockingly, according to The Daily Mail, the lawsuit also accuses teachers of being complicit in the bullying. Ty claimed faculty members failed to intervene when the bullying occurred in their presence, and some even participated in the torment. This alleged negligence starkly contradicts the school district’s zero-tolerance policy on bullying. Ty voiced her frustration on social media, saying, “There is zero tolerance to bullying, except there wasn’t. Some teachers were actually complicit.”
On March 11, 2023, after enduring months of relentless harassment, Kelaia confided in a friend about her suicidal thoughts. Five days later, she attempted to hang herself in her bedroom. Paramedics arrived to find her lifeless body. After eight minutes without a pulse, a faint heartbeat was detected, and she was revived. Kelaia’s mother, deeply religious, attributed the miracle to prayer. However, Kelaia suffered severe brain damage, leaving her nonverbal, immobile, and dependent on a feeding tube and tracheotomy.
Kelaia spent 101 days in the hospital, much of it in a coma. Ty described their current struggles, 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.” More than 18 months later, Kelaia’s condition remains critical, and the family faces mounting financial stress, including the need for a wheelchair-accessible van.
A GoFundMe page launched by Schine’t Turner has raised $2,930 of its $15,000 goal, while a previous fundraiser gathered $7,000. Meanwhile, Greenville County Schools have denied all allegations of negligence, maintaining that they followed appropriate policies. The lawsuit seeks accountability and justice for Kelaia, whose life has been forever changed by the tragedy.