A rally held at Potomac High School on Monday morning has reignited public interest in the case of Kayla Caldwell, a 14-year-old girl who suffered severe injuries in a school assault. Juanita Caldwell, Kayla’s mother, is urging the Prince George’s County State Attorney’s Office to take action by making arrests and pressing charges, emphasizing the importance of delivering justice in this matter.
Juanita Caldwell stated that six students who were involved in the assault have been expelled. However, there is a belief that a seventh participant is still unaccounted for. The Prince George’s County School District released a statement mentioning that “appropriate disciplinary action was taken,” but did not provide further details due to privacy laws under FERPA.
“The safety of our students is our utmost concern,” emphasized the PGCPS statement. It continued, stating that on December 5, a student at Potomac High School was injured during a fight. Without delay, our dedicated Safety and Security personnel promptly intervened and collaborated with the school staff to initiate a thorough investigation. Throughout the entire process, our administrators maintained constant communication with the student’s family, ensuring they were well-informed. In accordance with the guidelines laid out in our Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook, appropriate disciplinary measures were taken.”
Juanita Caldwell is frustrated with the lack of arrests made thus far. She emphasizes that the attack on her daughter was premeditated and points to alleged previous altercations.
“This is not a random act,” she stated firmly. “The ringleader physically assaulted my child at Thurgood Marshall Middle School. This was not a random occurrence.”
She argued that if consequences are not imposed, it would send a dangerous message to students.
“The kids at Potomac High School will not learn from this incident unless something happens, something with the criminal system, happens now,” the mother said. “They need to understand that without consequences, if you get a slap on the wrist for this, the next time you’re gonna kill somebody’s child.”
The Department of Juvenile Services is currently reviewing the case, and it may prove challenging to bring criminal charges. However, the situation is subject to change.
On Monday morning, State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy had a conversation with Juanita Caldwell’s family regarding the events surrounding Kayla’s case.
Braveboy found the conversation to be “devastating” and has contacted the Department of Juvenile Services to explore ways in which her office can intervene.
“We have indicated that we would like to receive that case because it is critically important that our schools are safe and that a strong message is sent to anyone that wants to hurt others if you do it at our schools, we are going to hold you accountable,” Braveboy said.
Braveboy also expressed her disappointment that she was not informed about this earlier, as she first became aware of the situation through the news.
She argued that notifying law enforcement through the media is not a suitable method to address issues that occur at a school.
Braveboy is urging state lawmakers to implement reforms that would hold juvenile offenders accountable for incidents of this nature.
Juanita Caldwell’s sole concern is the safety of her daughter, considering the close proximity of their attackers.
“The person who attacked her lives right in the next complex,” Juanita Caldwell said. “Even if they’re expelled from school, they could walk around here and attack my child at any time. My child could be going to a trash can, my child could be going outside to the ice cream truck, and they can attack my child, and that’s the reason why I want the arrest, and I want them now.”