I was wondering when more information would come out about the background of these two young ladies. According to the unnamed officer, Kaylee was a bully who threw the first punch. She was suspended from school from fighting the previous day. IMO, she was at that location for no other reason than to fight, yet again.
IMO, I don't find it hard to believe at all that she routinely bullied Maurnice and others. I've seen constant comparisons between the size of the two girls. Bullies come in all sizes folks.
Maurnice had every right to defend herself, even from an attacker physically smaller than herself. Slamming Kaylee's head was a continuing of her defense, that was done in a moment where she was being piloted by adrenaline. I don't think her goal was to kill or harm Kaylee to the degree she did. Maybe just to send a message, stop the bullying. And I can believe her desire to apology is sincere.
I was all for swift, adult punishment when this story first came out. As the bigger picture becomes clearer, I don't believe this belongs in adult court. Maurnice will have to face consequences for the harm she caused Kaylee, while defending herself. And because she did not initiate the fight that day, there may be a history of her being victimized, and she was defending herself are all reasons I feel it should be held in juvenile court. And whatever sentence she receives, I hope that it is "justice" for Kaylee that also allows Maurnice to be "
held accountable for her actions, while also helping her develop skills to avoid future delinquency, and mature into a law-abiding adult". (google search- what is the purpose of juvenile sentencings)
Handling this in adult court is not the answer. However if it is, any of Kaylee's school disciplinary and juvenile records (if they exist) will become public knowledge, as well as any evidence of prior bullying.
In all of this, I pray Kaylee gets the best treatment and services available and that she makes a complete recovery. I pray both girls can go on to lead productive and healthy lives.
I also help that there are lessons learned and changes made. I hope that this incident resonates with students at their school and with people within their community. A reasonation that produces change. Maybe beefing groups of students can come together and squash their issues. Perhaps even have some type of peer support groups for each other. Hopefully more parents will begin getting their children professional help to address the trauma they've experienced. And schools, I hope they can employ social workers, guidance counselors, and mental health professionals within the schools to meet students and families where they are, supporting them through difficult times and helping them get on the path to success.