School Staffer Walks Past Bullying/Victim Perm. Brain Damage

KingstonsMom · ‎03-09-2010

A school Bill and Melinda Gates have supported by donating millions of dollars is being sued over a horrific bullying incident, which allegedly left a 12-year-old boy with permanent brain damage.

TMZ has obtained video of the incident, which is extremely difficult to watch. It was shot at the Animo Westside Charter Middle School in L.A., near LAX.

The boy's mother is suing the school and Green Dot, the org that oversees the school.

The Gates are not being sued.

You see the boy right outside the school, when a bully from the school punches him and then puts him in a chokehold, which seems to last around 20 seconds. Notice in the video ... a staffer walks by but seems unconcerned by what is happening right next to her. She never helps ... just walks away.

The boy goes limp, apparently losing consciousness, and the bully becomes alarmed ... realizing what he had done.

The bully then helps the injured student by bringing him inside one of the buildings so he can drink some water. The boy then goes limp again and then loses consciousness. A staffer brings him into an office and lays him out on the floor. The blinds close and the paramedics arrive.

The lawsuit -- filed by attorney Ben Meiselas of Geragos & Geragos -- claims the boy suffered a seizure shortly after the incident and he now has permanent brain damage.

According to the lawsuit, he suffered a hypoxic-ischemic brain injury -- a lack of oxygen to the brain. He now has significant learning disabilities and will likely need treatment for the remainder of his life.

The boy's mother told LAPD she did not want to press criminal charges against the bully because he was "a mere child." All she wanted was him expelled from the school, but according to the lawsuit he was not removed from the school and the lawsuit claims, he "continues to pose a threat to the safety and lives of other students."

The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages.

We contacted the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation -- the couple gave millions to Green Dot to build the school in question along with several others -- so far, no word back. We also contacted the school and have not heard back.

Video of incident here, may be disturbing to some.:

https://www.tmz.com/2019/08/13/bill-melinda-gates-school-kid-choked-sued-bullying-green-dot/

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

I will not go into details other than to say this incident in NO way surprises me. It happens more than people realize, the bully does NOT get in trouble nor does the staff UNLESS the parents understand the legal rights of their child while on school property.

The parent of this poor child should go after the parents of the bully. She should also go after the Principal, whomever is aware of the bully and his behavior in Student Services as well as the individual employed the school who did not stop and assist.

I will tell you that not stopping to assist is the norm in the public school system. Educate yourself regarding what the Teachers Union instructs school faculty to do and say when something like this happens. Also, educate yourself regarding the stand that the Board of Education takes when a situation like this occurs.

I wish this child all the hope and prayers; he is an innocent victim and deserves justice for what was allowed to happen to him.

Travone · ‎10-14-2016

Who took and posted the video? Is that person being sued for not helping?

Cakers3 · ‎06-17-2015

@Travone wrote:
Who took and posted the video? Is that person being sued for not helping?

@Travone I could be wrong but it looks like the video was taken from a security camera; the height of the video doesn't look as though filmed by a phone.

How TMZ found it is the question, although I consider them lacking class anyway.

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh

KingstonsMom · ‎03-09-2010

It was filmed by security cameras at the school,

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.

cherry · ‎03-09-2010

I don't know why the Gates should be held responsible for what went on at that school? It was awful, and the people in charge should be held accountable

esmerelda · ‎03-10-2010

This is what happens when teachers are afraid to touch children in school.

*********************
Keepin' it real.

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

"The boy's mother told LAPD she did not want to press criminal charges against the bully because he was "a mere child."

Oh please...

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

KingstonsMom · ‎03-09-2010

@Cakers3

You have every right to your opinion of TMZ, but it's owned by an attorney, so I hardly think he would allow false information on his site, as he could be sued.

A lawsuit has been filed and the camera footage is evidence in the lawsuit, so it's public records, since a judge hasn't sealed the case.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.

Cakers3 · ‎06-17-2015

@cherry wrote:
I don't know why the Gates should be held responsible for what went on at that school? It was awful, and the people in charge should be held accountable

@cherry That headline was to grab attention by using the Gates name and I agree-the Gates are not responsible.

Seems TMZ was more interested in the Gates name than they were about the victim.

I wonder who that staffer was? A teacher aide? A cafeteria worker? Somebody with authority?

It seems she did not witness the chokehold but came upon the scene when 3 boys had surrounded the victim. Regardless-should she have investigated??

What a very, very sad story. Just look at the difference in sizes, too, between the bully and the victim.

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh