GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — The family of a 12-year-old South Carolina girl has filed a lawsuit against her school, alleging that repeated reports of bullying and physical abuse were ignored before the child suffered a life-altering s*lf-harm incident.

Kelaia Turner, a student at Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School in Greenville County, is at the center of the lawsuit filed by her family.

According to allegations described by the family, the bullying began when Kelaia was 11 and started wearing her natural hair to school.

Her mother, Ty Turner, says her daughter was subjected to cruel name-calling, including racial and appearance-based insults, and was also physically ᴀssaulted by other students.

Ty says she repeatedly contacted school officials about what was happening.

According to her account, she reported incidents to the school approximately seven to nine times, hoping administrators would intervene and protect her daughter.

But the family alleges that meaningful action never came.

“Half the time they didn’t respond, and if they did, it wasn’t with anything substantive. There was never any resolution,” Ty told WYFF.

As the alleged bullying continued, the family says Kelaia’s emotional and physical suffering became increasingly severe.

The lawsuit alleges that the school’s failure to adequately address the reported harᴀssment contributed to a s*lf-harm attempt that left the 12-year-old permanently disabled.

For her family, the consequences have extended far beyond the original incidents at school. They say Kelaia now faces permanent disabilities stemming from what happened.

The lawsuit raises questions about how schools respond when parents repeatedly report bullying and whether enough was done to protect a child who was allegedly being targeted over an extended period.

Kelaia’s story has also drawn attention to the particular circumstances surrounding the alleged harᴀssment. Her mother says the bullying began after Kelaia chose to wear her natural hair, a deeply personal part of her idenтιтy.

Rather than feeling accepted at school, the family says she became the target of repeated insults and physical mistreatment.

Ty’s repeated attempts to obtain help, according to the family, ultimately failed to produce the resolution she was seeking.

Now the family is pursuing legal action against Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School and the Greenville County school system, seeking accountability for what they allege was a failure to respond appropriately.

The allegations in the lawsuit have not been established as facts in court, and the school district will have an opportunity to respond to the claims.

For Kelaia’s family, however, the lawsuit represents more than a legal dispute.

It is a demand to understand why repeated warnings did not lead to meaningful intervention—and how a child who was allegedly asking for help could reach such a devastating point.

No 12-year-old should have to carry that burden alone.

And for Ty Turner, the question remains painfully simple: What could have changed if someone had listened sooner? 💔