A vicious attack at a high school in Medford, Massachusetts, sent a sophomore student to the emergency room with a concussion and other injuries, her mom tells NBC10 Boston.
The 15-year-old girl's mother says the two other girls who attacked her daughter at Medford High School last Monday started threatening to kill her months ago. Nicole, who asked us not to use her last name, also says school administrators aren't able to stop the daily abuse.
The woman tells NBC10 Boston that she took out a restraining order against both of her daughter's alleged attackers, and she says she's also pressing assault and battery charges, but she's worried that this might happen again since both of the girls responsible for the attack will return to school later this month after they serve out their suspensions.
The incident was captured on video, which we have blurred above since there are so many minors involved, and shows two girls attacking another girl, grabbing her by the hair, throwing her to the ground and repeatedly punching her in the head.
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At one point, a Marine who was at the school for a recruiting event stepped in to break up the attack.
Several students watched and recorded the assault on their cell phones, while others walked away laughing.
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The attack left the victim with multiple injuries, including a concussion and bruises. Her mother says doctors told her that her daughter came dangerously close to suffering devastating injuries.
“Her head was smashed to the ground multiple times, she was punched repeatedly. She sustained a concussion, multiple bruises, she had to undergo a CAT scan on her abdomen to check for internal bleeding," the woman shared with NBC10 Boston. "They said the area of her head where the injuries were sustained could have — she could’ve suffered a spinal cord injury.”
According to Nicole, her daughter's attackers started targeting her with violent threats months ago after a chance enocunter.
“Our daughter was matched up with one of the attacker’s boyfriends for a project and the attacker was out of the class roaming the halls and came across them all together….” she revealed.
Nicole says the school suspended both girls, who are sisters, for 10 days, but she says other than that, administrators haven't been helpful.
“We were told at one point that one of the attackers had suffered past trauma and was on a healing journey," she recalled. "And I asked, ‘What about the trauma that this is inflicting on my daughter?’”
The superintendent sent a letter to parents on Sunday addressing the "physical altercation between a group of students," saying it's "been a difficult week" for the Medford school community.
"Violence of any kind and in any manner has absolutely no place in Medford High School or in our school district; fighting will not be tolerated, and any students found to have caused physical harm to another will be held accountable," Dr. Marice Edouard-Vincent wrote. "As a mother, as an educator, and as your superintendent, to know that a student was injured at school is abhorrent to me."
She said while the district is legally prohibited from sharing specific information related to a student disciplinary incident, she wanted the school community to know that "appropriate and responsive steps have been and continue to be implemented by school and district administrators."
Edouard-Vincent declared that students are still "grappling with the impacts of three years of pandemic-related disruptions to their education and their lives" and called on people to refrain from calling for the students involved to be expelled, noting people don't have all of the relevant information or an understanding of what is legally required in this situation.
The superintendent said the district will continue to provide support to the student who was attacked, while "striving to foster an environment in which students are safe, secure and supported in their learning."
Edouard-Vincent said she felt compelled to address "the significant amount of attention" the incident had generated on social media, saying some of the information on social media is "inaccurate."
Additionally, the superintendent said she had two more concerns. First, she said the "recording and distribution of a video depicting a student fight is inconsistent" with the district's code of conduct.
"In addition to concerns regarding student privacy, these videos are destabilizing to the school environment," she wrote.
"Second, I recognize the raw emotions that incidents like this evoke, the demands on social media for specific disciplinary actions such as expulsion by individuals who do not have all of the relevant information nor understand the legal requirements is inappropriate."
Edouard-Vincent said this incident will not be addressed on social media and there will be no further response from the district beyond her letter regarding individual students.
"Student conduct is investigated and addressed in a proportional and equitable manner," she wrote, asking all members of the Medford community to "please refrain from further statements that could yield an unsafe environment for all students."
Edouard-Vincent said she is working alongside Medford Principal Paul D’Alleva regarding additional strategies to ensure that Medford High School is a "safe and welcoming educational atmosphere, where every student grows and learns together."
The superintendent also said they are working collaboratively with the Medford Police Department regarding last week's incident.
NBC10 Boston has reached out to police but has not heard back.
