Shaquille O'Neal has offered to cover the funeral costs for 12-year-old Jada West, who died after a fistfight near a bus stop in Georgia. The former NBA star said he wants to spare the family financial strain during their grief.
“As a father, my heart goes out to Jada’s family. No parent should ever have to bury their child, and if there is anything I can do to ease even a small part of that burden, then it is the right thing to do,” O'Neal said in a statement.
The offer was announced in a joint news release by the sheriffs of Douglas and Henry counties, where O'Neal owns a home and serves as community relations chief. The fight occurred in Douglas County, about 30 miles west of Atlanta.
Police say Jada fought another girl near a bus stop on March 5 after being dropped off from school. Cellphone video shows the girls throwing punches before an adult intervenes; Jada walks away but later suffered cardiac arrest and died in hospital on March 8.
An autopsy is pending to determine the cause of death. Jada's funeral is scheduled for Saturday, according to her aunt. Sheriff Reginald Scandrett said, “Jada's life mattered, and in times like these, our responsibility is to stand beside families in their darkest moments.”
