DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — The middle school student involved in a bus stop fight that left a 12-year-old dead will not face charges.
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The Douglas County District Attorney announced that decision during an extensive news conference.
“The Douglas County District Attorney’s Office will not be bringing any criminal charges in this case,” Racine announced after giving a more than 20-minute chronology of what happened in the case involving 12-year-old Jada West.
West died after getting into a fight at a bus stop in Villa Rica in March.
Racine said she wouldn’t be filing charges against the middle school student involved in the fight with West because West had a genetic heart condition, and she couldn’t determine what role it played in her death.
“There’s no way to make a definitive medical determination that this incident led to the condition that ultimately caused West’s death,” Racine said.
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Racine said West and a girl she identified as ‘JS’ got into a verbal argument on the school bus headed home. The DA said ‘JS’ told the kids on the bus to be quiet when the bus had to stop at a railroad crossing, and that prompted the argument.
The verbal argument continued when they got off the bus. Then, Racine said the two engaged in a mutual 17-second fight where ‘JS’ landed on top of West as they fell to the ground.
They were separated, and West collapsed and became unresponsive.
She died later at the hospital.
“Jada West’s death is a profound loss, Racine declared at the news conference.
West’s family said they disagreed with the DA’s decision. Their attorney, Harry Daniels, said West had a heart condition called Long QT. He said it is exacerbated by physical exertion.
Daniels believes the girl who fought with West should have been charged since her actions led to her physical exertion.
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West’s family said back in March that she was being bullied.
But Racine said the investigation found no evidence of that.
“The school principal confirmed that there were no documented prior instances involving West and ‘JS’.”
Racine also said ‘JS’ and her family have received threats as a result of this incident. She said they had to move out of the county because of the threats.
The DA said this never should have happened.
“What we told the parents, and what we told both sets of parents, is that this should have been a tiny blip on this girl’s history. And unfortunately, it has not because it resulted in a devastating loss for her family.”