HENRY COUNTY, GA – The mother of an eighth-grade girl who was brutally stabbed 14 times in a school gymnasium last spring is suing the school district, claiming negligence in preventing the attack. The lawsuit alleges that administrators were warned by a school resource officer about a knife threat, yet failed to act.
Ashley Wilson, the victim’s mother, described the incident as her daughter was attacked shortly after arriving at school. As she walked to gym class, she was approached by a group of students, one wielding a knife. Despite teachers witnessing the harassment, they did not intervene, she said. A 13-year-old boy ultimately stepped in to save her daughter.
Attorney Andrew Gold, representing Wilson, asserted that the school administrators were informed multiple times about the presence of a knife on campus. On March 14, a police officer reported the knife threat, yet no action was taken to investigate or inform parents.
The following day, the same student was again reported to have a knife, but the school failed to act, resulting in the stabbing of Wilson’s daughter. Gold emphasized that the school’s policies required immediate investigation and communication with parents, which did not occur.
The incident took place in Henry County, Georgia, a community that has been left shaken by the event. The superintendent of schools previously stated that ensuring student safety is the district’s top priority, a responsibility that was not met in this case, according to the lawsuit.
Gold explained that the school’s handbook outlined specific protocols for handling such threats, including alerting parents and conducting searches, none of which were followed. Surveillance footage later revealed the student had brought the weapon on campus for a week before the attack.
Wilson’s daughter has faced a difficult recovery, including plastic surgery and homeschooling. The family continues to cope with the aftermath, seeking justice and change to prevent future incidents.