12-year-old Douglas County girl dies from fight with classmate, police say
Authorities are investigating the circumstances behind a 12-year-old Douglas County girl who died after injuries they say she sustained in a fight with another student.
Jada West, a sixth-grader at Mason Creek Middle School, arrived home from school around 5 p.m. Thursday when a dispute turned into a fight with a 14-year-old classmate, said Villa Rica Police Sgt. Spencer Crawford, a department spokesperson. The fight occurred after the students got off the school bus in the Ashley Place subdivision. West later died from her injuries, Crawford said.
Crawford said police and the Douglas County District Attorney’s office are working together to determine if any criminal charges will be filed.
West’s family told Channel 2 Action News she was new to the area and was being bullied.
“She was loving, she was kind, she didn’t deserve this,” her mother, Rashunda McClendon, said in an interview.
Douglas County School District officials plan to have counselors at the school Tuesday to assist students and staff with their grief.
About the Author
Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He currently writes about higher education and has assisted in the newsroom’s COVID-19 vaccine coverage. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.
