VILLA RICA, Ga. — A 12-year-old woman was taken to a hospital and died days after she collapsed on the street following a fistfight close to a faculty bus cease in her Georgia neighborhood, in response to police.
The demise of sixth grader Jada West is being investigated by police in suburban Villa Rica, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Atlanta.
Sgt. Spencer Crawford, a police spokesman, mentioned Wednesday that investigators are reviewing proof, together with cellphone video of the combat, and are awaiting post-mortem outcomes. He mentioned police plan to fulfill later this week with prosecutors, who will finally resolve whether or not to convey prices.
The combat between Jada and one other scholar from Mason Creek Center Faculty broke out at an intersection close to the woman’s house on Thursday afternoon, Crawford mentioned.
Cellphone video posted by Jada’s aunt on social media exhibits a faculty bus leaving the scene greater than 90 seconds earlier than any punches get thrown. The video exhibits Jada and one other woman yelling and taunting one another whereas standing a long way aside. A bunch of classmates stands watching them.
Somebody might be heard saying, “Who’s going to combat you over some noise?”
The video exhibits each ladies placing down their backpacks at roughly the identical time. They strategy one another after which start throwing punches. Inside seconds, they fall to the pavement, clutching one another, with Jada touchdown on her again and rolling backward feet-first over her head and neck.
Each ladies arise earlier than a lady intervenes, and the grownup might be heard telling Jada to go house. The video exhibits Jada choosing up her backpack and showing to stroll away when the clip ends.
It is unclear what occurred subsequent, however Jada did not make it house. Crawford mentioned police have been dispatched on a name of “a younger juvenile who was in cardiac arrest laying on the street.”
“After we truly arrived, paramedics have been on the scene, and so they have been already loading her up and performing CPR,” Crawford mentioned. “Paramedics instructed us there was an grownup on the scene performing CPR once they arrived.”
Jada was taken to a hospital. On Sunday, her mom, Rashunda McClendon, posted a video to Fb asking folks to “please pray for my child. She’s combating for her life.”
Jada’s aunt, De’Quala McClendon, later introduced on Fb on Sunday that her niece had died.
“Now you bought your non secular crown,” she wrote, “it hurts so so dangerous however I do know you’re okay.”
Rashunda McClendon declined to talk with an Related Press reporter who got here to her house on Wednesday.
A paper signal staked into the bottom close to the scene of the combat mentioned, “RIP JADA WEST,” and bore the message: “Heaven acquire an angel.” A bouquet and a plastic pinwheel have been left beside it.
Douglas County District Lawyer Dalia Racine mentioned in a press release that her workplace is conscious of the police investigation into Jada’s demise however gave no additional remark.
The Douglas County Faculty System, in a press release, described Jada as “an upbeat, sort, and vibrant scholar.” It mentioned counselors have been made out there on the faculty to talk with college students and workers.
“This incident didn’t happen on faculty property or throughout faculty hours, and there may be nothing to point that that is associated to any on-campus exercise,” the college district’s assertion mentioned.
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Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia.
