'She didn't deserve that': 13-year-old girl afraid to go to school after beating on school bus

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)– A family is upset and wants justice for a 13-year-old Acadian Middle School student after she was beaten on the school bus, and the video of it has been circulating on social media.

“It’s putting us through a lot right now,” Jennifer, the mother of the victim, said. “Seeing what she is going through.”

She said her daughter has been missing out on school since the fight because she’s afraid to go back. Lafayette police said at 4:08 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3, officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of Teurlings Drive in reference to a fight in progress on the school bus.

“Being flopped around, unconscious hands just fallen,” Julie Regan, grandmother of the victim, said recalling watching the videos of the fight.

Regan said her granddaughter said the fight stemmed during a prep rally, and candy was tossed because a little boy asked her for candy. When the girl tossed it another student was hit. Regan said her granddaughter said she apologized instantly.

“She took it to extreme lengths whenever she got on the bus,” Regan said. “It’s horrible seeing
the pictures. I cried. I couldn’t even finish watching these videos. They are so horrible.”

“She’s a loving child, and for that to happen to her, she didn’t deserve that, and that hurt my heart that those videos actually made me cry,” Shonda Savoy, aunt of the victim, said. “I didn’t like what I saw and it made me want to be a different person. She’s not the type of child that would bring that type of chaos to herself.”

The family said the victim was taken to the hospital. She had head trauma contusions. She got a
fractured nose, busted lips and a sprung arm, in addition to dealing with emotional trauma.

“She thinks it’s her fault that if I wouldn’t have thrown that; tossing that candy, you know,
something simple, She got beat like this,” Regan said. “If I hadn’t been throwing this candy,
tossing it, this girl wouldn’t have hit me like this.”

LPSS released the following statement to News 10:

The Lafayette Parish School System is committed to providing a safe and orderly environment
for all of our students, including travel to and from school via our transportation services. Fights
like this do not align with the core values of our school system. The students involved now face
disciplinary action from the school, as well as assault charges. We will continue to follow the safety processes and procedures in place as the school continues to investigate this incident to
ensure it does not happen again.

We ask parents to reinforce with their children that fighting is never an acceptable way to resolve conflict. We have resources available at school to help students resolve conflict. We ask that students contact a teacher, counselor, or administrator if they are concerned for their safety. We hope our community will remain committed to working with us to continue providing a positive school culture that supports academic achievement, respects others, and promotes a safe and inclusive school environment.

“I feel like they did not protect the victim at all,” Savoy said. “I feel like they don’t care about this victim at all, and I’m not going to say they don’t care, but I’m going to say this. They’re not showing much care towards her.”

“Since Friday they haven’t called her,” she added. “They haven’t checked on her. They don’t know what’s going on with her. They don’t know her state.”

Police told News 10 the 13-year old-girl who started the fight was placed under arrest and
charged with simple battery. Also a 12 year old boy was charged with the same thing in
connection with the fight.

“It’s going to take time,” Regan said. “She can’t just run back to school. She has this emotional state. I mean, she’s going through a lot, and she’s got to see a psychiatrist. She needs somebody to talk to because of the trauma they put her through.”