Girl suffered a cardiac event for 16 minutes, school officials did nothing as she died

A mother in Virginia is suing school officials, claiming their inaction during her daughter’s medical emergency led to the teen’s death.

Keyonna Stewart has filed a lawsuit following the tragic death of her 16-year-old daughter, Kaleiah Jones, who collapsed at Menchville High School in Newport News on February 20 after suffering a cardiac issue.

The lawsuit alleges that despite Kaleiah’s collapse and the immediate arrival of school staff, including the nurse, principal, assistant principals, and several security officers, none of them provided essential medical assistance for more than 16 minutes.

Kaleiah was lying on the hallway floor, not breathing and without a pulse. Despite the severity of the situation, none of the staff initiated CPR or retrieved one of the three automated external defibrillators (AEDs) stationed throughout the school.

The complaint states that for nine minutes, no one offered aid. A school resource officer eventually began CPR, but the effort lasted only 17 seconds before stopping, with no one else taking over.

During the following seven minutes, Kaleiah continued to lie unaided, while multiple school officials, including the school nurse, were either standing nearby or briefly entering and leaving the scene.

By the time emergency medical services arrived, more than 16 minutes had passed since her collapse. Only then was an AED retrieved, and CPR restarted, but the delay was too long.

Kaleiah was transported to Riverside Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Security footage allegedly supports the lawsuit’s timeline of events, showing that Kaleiah collapsed at 1:09 p.m., and a pulse was taken at 1:12 p.m. At 1:13 p.m., a nurse reportedly splashed water on her while an assistant principal shook her shoulders.

Despite a radio request for a medic, school officials merely stood over Kaleiah, offering minimal help like rubbing her shoulders or patting her leg.

The first CPR effort began nine minutes after her collapse, lasting only 17 seconds, and the AED was not used until much later.

The lawsuit accuses school officials of gross negligence, asserting that had they acted promptly, Kaleiah would still be alive. It alleges that the school’s failure to perform CPR or use an AED directly caused her death.

The complaint also suggests a possible cover-up attempt, with school records allegedly falsely indicating that CPR was administered promptly and continuously until EMS arrived.

Stewart claims the school was well aware of Kaleiah’s medical history, including her bradycardia, a condition that slows the heart rate. She had recently undergone surgery, and the school had been provided with documentation for her medical accommodations.

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Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Stewart, said during a press conference, “We filed this lawsuit because we can’t just let people simply say ‘oh, that was unfortunate’ and sweep it under the rug. If it was your child, would that be acceptable to you?”

Crump emphasized that the lawsuit, seeking $85 million in compensatory damages, is meant to highlight that Kaleiah’s life mattered and that the school’s handling of the situation was unacceptable.