Police in Georgia are investigating the death of a 12-year-old girl who collapsed in the street days after a fight near a school bus stop. Jada West, a sixth grader, died after the incident in Villa Rica, a suburb approximately 30 miles west of Atlanta.
Sgt Spencer Crawford, a police spokesman, confirmed on Wednesday that officers are examining evidence, including mobile phone footage of the altercation, and are awaiting autopsy results. Police are scheduled to meet with prosecutors later this week to determine if charges will be filed.
The confrontation, involving Jada and another student, occurred last Thursday afternoon at an intersection near Jada's home. Footage shared on social media shows the two girls shouting and taunting each other before putting down their backpacks and throwing punches. They fall to the pavement, with Jada landing on her back and rolling backward over her head and neck. Both girls stand up before a woman intervenes, and the video ends with Jada walking away.
It is unclear what happened next, but Jada did not make it home. Police were dispatched to a call of a young juvenile in cardiac arrest lying in the street. Paramedics performed CPR and took Jada to a hospital. On Sunday, her mother, Rashunda McClendon, posted a video asking for prayers. Jada's aunt later announced on Facebook that her niece had died.
The Douglas County School System described Jada as “an upbeat, kind, and vibrant student” and made counsellors available at the school. The district stated the incident did not occur on school property or during school hours.
