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Caught On Camera: Cyberbullying Turns Into Physical Attack For 14-Year-Old Girl At Betty H. Fairfax High School

By Angelica N. Sumter
Published on: 23:26 PST, Sep 12, 2016

The violent attack on a 14-year-old girl in Laveen, Arizona was caught on camera and has since gone viral, according to ABC 15 Arizona.

Markus Hines stated that his daughter – whose name has not been released – had been cyber-bullied with memes since the start of school at Betty H. Fairfax High School.

When the teen grew weary of being bullied online, she decided to confront the girls on Tuesday, September 6, but it took a violent turn.

The teen was brutally attacked on school grounds, reported upperclassmen.

In the viral video, the cyberbullying victim can be seen lying on the ground with her hair disheveled after being “choked out” by several students.

Seconds later, she gets up but has trouble maintaining her balance and she falls to the ground.

The teen can be seen laying on her back and seems to be gasping for air while a crowd forms around her.

An unidentified student recorded the school attack on a cellular device and uploaded the video to YouTube.

“No parent should have to go on YouTube or Facebook to see their daughter laid out,” said Hines, who was furious after learning that no one intervened as his daughter was being attacked.

A man – whose name has not been released – who lives in the community was outraged after learning about the school attack, stating that the “kids are more worried about a YouTube video than they are about calling the police.”

Following the attack, Hines stated that the school suspended his daughter, as well as her attackers.

However, he says “what happened to my daughter should not have happened, period.”

Since the incident, the father has been protesting outside of the school near 59th Avenue and Baseline Road as an attempt to “save his daughter’s life.”

He has been holding up a sign that says “My daughter was bullied at Fairfax” and says he won’t stop until the school does more about bullying.

“I felt like this was the best thing that I could do to spark some conversation,” Hines said. “I wanted parents with the kids driving up to see me and maybe there’s another kid that’s getting a ride with their parents that’s getting bullied.”

“I just don’t want another parent to go through this.”

“It’s unreal.”

Initially, the father was unsure of what to do but after receiving encouragement from other parents for “taking a stand for his daughter,” he has been protesting outside of the school every day.

Hines told reporters that he plans to press charges on the students who attacked his daughter.

Reporters spoke with the parents of one of the teens – whose name has not been released – involved in the school attack, and they claimed that their daughter reacted in self-defense after her hair was pulled, according to 10 News.

A spokesperson for the Phoenix Union High School District released the following statement: “While we are not allowed to comment on specific student behavior or discipline cases, Phoenix Union and all Arizona schools take allegations of bullying very seriously.

“According to state statute and policy, students, parents, and staff at the start of each school year are instructed to report any bullying to school officials. Any staff member who becomes aware of or suspects that a student is experiencing bullying must immediately notify administration.”

“Each allegation is investigated, and discipline and/or interventions and counseling are administered. A school can only act upon bullying when it becomes aware, or is notified of such activity,” the statement continued.

The bullied teen returned to Betty H. Fairfax High School the following Friday but had to leave early as she was being taunted by students throughout the day.

[Image via iStock Photo]

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