A mother from Virginia claims that her daughter’s death was caused by the school administration’s inaction as they watched her daughter have a medical emergency.
On February 20, Kaleiah Jones, at 16 years old, started school. Keyonna Stewart, Kaleiah’s mother, filed a lawsuit alleging that Kaleiah had a heart attack and passed out in a Menchville High School hallway in Newport News that day. Despite having access to potentially life-saving equipment and medical training, school officials did virtually nothing for over 16 minutes.
The lawsuit claims that after being “immediately notified by radio” of Kaleiah’s collapse, the principal, assistant principals, school nurse, and several security officers “promptly” arrived at the site.
“Kaleiah’s heart had stopped and she was not breathing,” according to the lawsuit. “But for nine minutes, the Defendants did nothing to aid Kaleiah.”
“No one started CPR,” as per the complaint. “And no one went to get one of the three automated external defibrillators (“AEDs”) positioned throughout the school for such a medical crisis.”
The lawsuit claims that although a school resource officer “spontaneously commenced CPR,” it only lasted for 17 seconds and that “no one took over” after the officer stopped.
“For the next seven minutes, Kaleiah lay unaided and dying on the hallway floor,” according to the complaint. A nurse was among the several school authorities who “either stood nearby or entered and then left the scene.”
More than 16 minutes after Kaleiah collapsed, emergency personnel showed up. The lawsuit claims that by the time CPR and an AED were obtained, it was already too late.
“EMS eventually transported Kaleiah to Riverside Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 2:43 p.m.,” as per the complaint.
The version of events described in the lawsuit is purportedly supported by a video. Security tape purports to show Kaleiah’s pulse being measured at 1:12 p.m., while the complaint claims that she collapsed at 1:09 p.m.
After a minute, an assistant principal “kept shaking or stroking Kaleiah’s shoulders,” and a nurse “seemed to splash” some water on the child.
According to the lawsuit, a dispatcher informed the caller that the emergency had been raised to a “Code Blue” when a medic was requested over the radio. Several school authorities “huddled” around Kaleiah for a few moments after the incident, although they merely patted her leg and rubbed shoulders.
According to the lawsuit, one official began CPR nine minutes after Kaleiah passed out, but halted chest compressions after just 17 seconds.
“For approximately ten minutes thereafter, [some defendants] milled around the unresponsive Kaleiah without retrieving any of the three AEDs located in the school,” according to the lawsuit. “Kaleiah’s collapse was in a central part of the school; an AED should have been nearby.”
According to the lawsuit, there may have been an attempt at a cover-up.
According to the lawsuit, school records regarding the incident “falsely suggest[ed] that CPR was promptly commenced and continued until EMS arrived.”
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The complaint claims that the school is solely to fault for Kaleiah’s passing.
“The Defendants’ gross negligence and willful and wanton negligence to Kaleiah’s acute medical needs caused her death,” as per the lawsuit. “Had the Defendants promptly commenced CPR and/or used the AED, Kaleiah would have survived.”
Stewart claims that the school was aware of Kaleiah’s health issue.
According to a report by local NBC affiliate WAVY, Stewart stated, “She had bradycardia and she recently had a surgery, so they were aware of that and given documentation for her accommodations.”
Renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump is Stewart’s counsel. The complaint is requesting compensatory damages of $85 million.
