Kelaia Turner GoFundMe raises over $126,000 after alleged bullied 12-year-old left with severe brain damage

Kelaia Turner, a teenage girl, was left with severe brain damage after being allegedly bullied in her middle school. According to a lawsuit filed by her parents, she went to Dr, Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School in Greenville County and was allegedly physically and verbally tormented by bullies. As she is suffering from a severe medical condition, her parents are raising funds on GoFundMe for her daily care.

On her fundraiser page, Kelaia Turner's mother Ty revealed how Kelaia attempted suicide when she was only 12. She allegedly endured relentless bullying when she was in 6th grade. Moreover, she stood up to her alleged bullies after facing physical and verbal attacks.

Ty further claimed,

"Despite our efforts to address the issue, nothing changed. Her spirit was broken, and on March 11, 2023, she confided to a friend her thoughts of suicide. Days later, I found her hanging."

While she was reportedly unresponsive for eight minutes, she survived but was left with brain damage.

"After 101 days in the hospital, including 31 in the ICU, she emerged in a fragile state, leaving my husband and me as her sole caregivers. We’ve since struggled with limited mobility, no wheelchair van, and mounting financial stress after both of us lost our jobs," her mother added.

Turner's family has been seeking donations for her medical needs, a "wheelchair-accessible van," and home care. They have also asked people to wear "butterflies in solidarity."

At the time of writing, Turner's family has raised $129,790 from over 3,200 donations.

The lawsuit by Kelaia Turner's family explained

According to Greenville News, Kelaia Turner's parents filed a lawsuit that claims their child was bullied since August 2021. Her peers allegedly said she looked "like a man." Her classmates also called her "roach" and "mustache face," per the lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, Kelaia's parents also claimed that their teacher Olivia Bennett did not attempt to stop the bullying and rather joined it.

"One student asked, 'Where's the roach?' and Ms. Bennett pointed to (Kelaia)," per the portal.

When her parents approached the school's principal, their complaint was acknowledged but it was soon followed by another incident. While Kelaia Turner retaliated, the incidents did not allegedly stop.

In the suit, Turner's parents claimed that the school failed to intervene when a fight between their daughter and another student broke out. In the end, Turner was the only one who was reportedly suspended.

In May 2022, a classmate played an offensive song, per the lawsuit, and a teacher named John Deer did not stop them. Kelaia was promised an investigation into the matter but the incidents continued to occur. They are now seeking justice for their daughter.