Friday, December 6, 2013

Video captures student’s beating on school bus

December 6, 2013




PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — 
A Paulding County High School freshman said she was sticking up for a student being bullied when two students attacked her on a school bus. 



Mikaela Branch, 14, told Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh she suffered some aches and pains and a slightly swollen lip, but she is physically OK. 

She says she was taking a stand against bullies, when they turned on her. 

"When she started running after me, I thought, 'Is this girl for real?' For sticking up for somebody else," Branch said. 

Another student posted a cellphone video of the school bus fight on Instagram. It happened Wednesday afternoon as students were leaving the school. 

"She came over, ran over to my seat and started hitting me in my face," Branch said. 

The 15-second Instagram video does not show which student initiated the fight. Branch, a freshman, said she had to defend herself. 

"I felt she wasn't going to stop, so I felt I had no choice but to fight back," Branch said. 

Branch said another student eventually broke them up. She claimed the bus driver put her on another bus, which let her off in another neighborhood. 

"I didn't get a phone call from any school officials or even a bus driver. My daughter had to call me," said Mikaela's mother, Darmita Cox. 

Cox said the bus should have turned around to the school. Paulding County school officials said they are aware of the fight and are investigating. 

"I've always instilled in them to take up for people, to do the right thing, no matter what," Cox said. 

Cox said her daughter shouldn't suffer violent consequences for doing the right thing. 

"It could have been a lot worse. And, just thank God that it wasn't," Cox said. 

The school district confirmed the Paulding County Sheriff's Department is also involved in the investigation. 

Cox said she contacted the sheriff's department Thursday morning.





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