California Teen Dies After Bathroom Fight With Bullies at South Los Angeles Performing Arts High School

Shaylee Mejia/Family Photo

16-year-old Shaylee Mejia died from allegedly hitting her head during a fight in the bathroom at Manual Arts High School in South Los Angeles on March 5. A fellow student reportedly recorded the fight between Shaylee and the other student. The video shows the teenager fall, hitting her head on a stall. 

The victim's mother, Maria Juarez, said her daughter was enrolled at Manual Arts for eight months and has been in several fights and continuously came home with bruises. She holds the school responsible for her death. According to KTLA, Ms. Juarez took photos of the injuries and complained to school officials and campus police, but things were never resolved. Ms. Juarez advised KTLA that more fights with her daughter were also captured on video, and she showed them to school officials as well.

Maria Juarez (mother) and Shaylee Mejia. Family Photo

Juarez explained that her daughter did not notify her about the last fight because she didn't want her to worry. Yet, days before Shaylee's death, Juarez said her daughter complained of a headache but continued to attend school. The 16-year-old reportedly attended a party Saturday night where she fainted and was rushed to the hospital. KTLA reports that doctors said she suffered from a fatal hemorrhage due to brain injuries—she never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead six days later on March 15.

According to KTLA, Shaylee's mother holds the school responsible. She said, "Everybody knows about my daughter hitting her head, the teachers too." "Everybody knows." She explained that her 3-year-old son is completely devastated about losing his sister; "He's sad; he misses his sister." "I just, I don't know. I want to die." (The story continues after the video)

Manual Arts High School released a statement, per the principal, Alejandro Macias: "I am saddened to report the recent death of one of our students off campus. On behalf of our entire school community, I want to offer my deepest condolences to those who are impacted by this loss, including the student's family, friends, and teachers. At this time, we request that the privacy of those who have been impacted be respected during this difficult time. Please know that our entire school community offers our support. Every member of the Manual Arts High School community matters and this loss impacts us all. Our school has crisis counselors available to any student who may need support. While this tragic incident took place outside of school hours and off campus, our heartfelt thoughts remain with those affected by this loss."

This story will be updated. 

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