The New York Beacon
When 14-year-old Kelaia Turner looks out the window of her South Carolina home, she does so with the assistance of her family, who provide round-the-clock care following a harrowing incident of bullying and a suicide attempt that changed their lives forever. What began as taunts over her natural hair spiraled into a years-long ordeal, exposing the profound consequences of unchecked harassment in schools. Now, her family is suing the Greenville County School District, accusing it of negligence.
The bullying reportedly started in 2021 when Kelaia, then a sixth grader at Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School, chose to embrace her natural hair. According to the lawsuit filed by her parents, students hurled slurs like “roach” and “mustache face,” comments that escalated into a campaign of ridicule. Despite numerous complaints lodged by her mother, Ty Turner, the family alleges that the school dismissed their concerns. “I reached out at least seven or nine times,” said Turner in an interview. “They either didn’t respond or did nothing meaningful to address the situation.”
The breaking point came in March 2023, when Kelaia shared thoughts of suicide with a friend. Just five days later, her mother discovered her hanging in her bedroom. Paramedics resuscitated her after she was clinically dead for eight minutes. Kelaia spent over three months in the hospital, including 31 days in intensive care, but emerged profoundly disabled. She now relies on a tracheostomy tube, a feeding tube, and remains nonverbal, requiring full-time care.
Adding to the family’s anguish, one of the alleged bullies reportedly visited Kelaia in the ICU, took photos of her unconscious state, and posted them on social media. “It was devastating,” said Ty Turner, who describes her daughter as a survivor but laments the loss of the vibrant, independent child she once knew. The school district, while extending sympathy, has denied any wrongdoing, stating they conducted investigations at the time of each complaint.
The Turners have since launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover Kelaia’s extensive medical and special care needs. As they fight their legal battle, the family hopes to shine a light on the systemic failures that they believe contributed to Kelaia’s tragedy. “Words do hurt,” said Turner. “And ignoring those words can have unimaginable consequences.”
