(Updated on 03/16/2026 at 11:07 a.m.: The family of Jada West has retained attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels)
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A family in Georgia is searching for answers following a 12-year-old girl’s death after walking away from a fight with another student. While the cause of death for Jada West has not yet been determined, her family has now retained attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels as their fight for accountability continues.
“We just want justice for my niece,” West’s aunt told Fox 5 News last week. “This has got to stop. And we are going to keep saying Jada West’s name.”
It all started back in January when West enrolled in Mason Creek Middle School in Douglas County as a new student, the outlet reported. According to her mother, Rashunda McLendon, West allegedly experienced bullying since entering the school, but nothing could have prepared her for the tragedy that would soon strike.
On March 5, West was on the school bus going home when an argument with another girl allegedly broke out, per Fox 5. Eventually, the bus stopped in West’s neighborhood, prompting her to exit as usual. Several other students followed, and a physical altercation broke out between West and one girl. It’s unclear if the other student involved also lived in West’s neighborhood.
A friend ran to tell West’s mother about the fight, but by the time she arrived, it was too late. Videos circulating online show West and the other student fighting before walking away. West later collapsed near her home and was rushed to the hospital.
“And she was on the ground,” McLendon recalled. “She wasn’t breathing,” the mother continued to Fox. After being rushed to Tanner Medical Center and later taken to Scottish Rite Hospital, West fell into a coma, 11Alive reported. She died three days later on March 8.
“I don’t understand,” McLendon said. “I’m angry. We have to teach our children. I’m angry. What happened to the love? We lost our love, people. Teach your children to love.”
It remains unclear what exactly led to the fight, although the video suggested it had something to do with rowdy students getting loud on the bus. In response to the tragedy, the Douglas County School System released a statement saying they’re leaving the investigation up to the local authorities, according to The New York Post.
“The well-being of our students and staff is of primary importance to our school system. Any situation that results in harm to a child is one we take with the highest level of urgency,” the statement read. “This incident did not occur on school property or during school hours, and there is nothing to indicate that this is related to any on-campus activity. Therefore, this matter is under the jurisdiction of the Villa Rica Police Department.”
The Villa Rica Police Department and the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office are reviewing videos of the fight as part of the investigation. No criminal charges have yet been linked to West’s death.
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