A Georgia mom is speaking out on behalf of her 5-year-old daughter who was attacked by an upperclassman on her way home from school.
As WMAZ reports, mom Aubrey Corley says her daughter takes the bus to and from her elementary school every single day.
However, when the 5-year-old walked off the bus on December 4, Corley immediately noticed her daughter’s face was sporting new scratches and bruises.
When Corley asked what had happened, the little girl said:
A 12-year-old gave them to her, who “grabbed her throat and told her to stop breathing, grabbed her hair and slammed her head against the bus wall.”
She was also hit with a book bag and “poked in the buttocks.”
Corley was crushed that her daughter had to experience such violence, but she also knew she had to be strong for her little girl and fight for justice.
The mom told WMAZ:
“I wanted to just break down, but I had to be strong for her.”
Corley continued by describing her daughter as the most loving child, making it difficult to imagine why someone would want to hurt her:
“She is the most loving, outgoing child. She can get along with anybody,”
According to WMAZ, Corley took action by reporting the physical bullying to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, who has since filed charges against the suspected 12-year-old.
The assistant superintendent of the girl’s school district is also looking into taking action of their own.
Jackson Daniel says the school is investigating, disciplining the student, and interviewing the bus driver.
Both authorities and the school district have also reviewed the surveillance footage from the camera installed on the bus.
Investigators described the footage as torture, Corley told WMAZ:
“Mr. Blanks, Adam Blanks, the investigator, he told me that when she got on the bus, the whole 45-minute bus ride was complete terror and torture.”
According to Stop Bullying, here a few signs that could mean your child is being bullied:
- Unexplainable injuries
- Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
- Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
- Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
- Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
- Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
- Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
- Feelings of helplessness or decreased self-esteem
- Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide
The website also suggests that it is “important to talk with children who show signs of being bullied or bullying others” because it can often help them “identify the root of the problem.”
The official investigation is still ongoing, which is why the name of the alleged bully and what they are being charged with has not been made public.
