A 16-year-old girl has lodged a complaint against her local school district after she was viciously attacked outside a bathroom stall while other students and a security guard watched and filmed the incident. The incident occurred on October 18 at Baldwin Park High School, and video evidence and a notice of claim filed against the Baldwin Park Unified School District support the victim’s allegations. The claim, which typically precedes a lawsuit, was initially reported by Fox LA.
The video footage shows that as soon as the victim exited the stall, another girl began assaulting her, throwing punches and pulling her hair. The victim attempted to defend herself while the attack persisted for about thirty seconds, with other students observing and recording the incident from outside the bathroom. The victim suffered a broken and bloodied nose. Attorneys representing the girl assert that the video also captures a security guard watching the fight and appearing to enjoy it.
A spokesperson for the school district emphasized that the safety of their students is their highest priority and refrained from commenting further on potential litigation.
The victim’s lawyer, Brian Claypool, alleges that the security guard present at the scene was among those who watched the violence unfold and even encouraged it. Claypool described the security guard’s actions as deplorable, barbaric, and potentially criminal, claiming that the guard allowed both boys and girls to enter the girls’ bathroom to spectate the fight. He further stated that the victim was fortunate not to have sustained more severe injuries, emphasizing that the altercation could have resulted in her death.
Following the incident, the victim contacted her mother, who promptly reported it to the police. The girl was subsequently hospitalized. The notice of claim reveals that when the victim’s mother arrived at the school, she immediately went to the office, where the school administration and office staff were unaware of the attack.
Claypool called upon Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón to press charges against the security guard for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. As a result of the attack, the student in the video withdrew from the school and is now seeking a transfer to another school district.
Maria Fajardo, the mother of the assaulted girl, expressed her distress and concern, questioning how she can continue sending her daughter to school without fearing for her safety.
This article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
