Texas Teen Airlifted to Hospital After School Cafeteria Brawl
Family alleges a lack of timely intervention by school staff during the attack that left the 14-year-old with seizures.
A 14-year-old girl, Nataya Carter, was airlifted to a hospital on Wednesday afternoon after a fight in the cafeteria of Livingston High School left her severely injured and experiencing seizures. The incident occurred in Livingston, Texas, approximately 74 miles northeast of Houston.
According to her family, Carter was "assaulted, walked up on" and "continuously hit by two ladies" before other students joined the altercation. They reported that during the fight, she was thrown against a brick wall, hitting her head, which led to her first-ever seizure.
"When I got that call, I was scared because everybody knows she's never had a seizure before, and so it's like, for her to get in this altercation, and then this happened, we don't know what to think," said Jalyncia Gardner, Carter's sister. A friend of Carter's, Darral Banks, described the scene, stating, "I was trying to pick up a few of her things and I couldn't because there was blood on my hands, literal blood, and I was crying 'cause I've never had blood on my hands like that."
Five individuals, including four minors, were arrested following the incident. Police have not yet detailed the specific roles each suspect allegedly played, nor have they released the identity of the one adult suspect.
The Livingston Independent School District acknowledged the event in a statement to parents, asserting that "Students who engage in this type of behavior will be held accountable." However, Carter's family contends that the school also bears responsibility due to what they perceive as a delayed response from staff. They allege that school personnel were present in the cafeteria during the assault but did not intervene promptly.
Sandria Carter, the teenager's aunt, questioned the school's response, stating, "This could’ve been prevented. So why wasn't it?" Footage reviewed by media outlets appears to show a staff member waiting more than 10 seconds to intervene as the fight unfolded. Banks, the friend who witnessed the fight, reported that he stepped in to help break up the fight himself before staff became involved.
Nataya Carter remained hospitalized as of Thursday night, with her family reporting that she continued to experience seizures. It is currently unclear when she will be released.
The district also reported that a staff member sustained an injury during the confrontation. The video footage reviewed by KHOU 11 did not indicate how or when this injury occurred.
Livingston ISD stated that they are addressing the incident through both disciplinary actions and legal channels, ensuring that students are held accountable in accordance with district policy and applicable law.