13-year-old girl dies after being jumped by classmates in Texas
HOUSTON, Texas -- A 13-year-old Texas girl has died after slipping into a coma following a fight with two teens who jumped her as she walked home from school - including one assailant who kicked her in the head, the girl's mother said.
Kashala Francis, a student at Attucks Middle School in Houston, died Wednesday morning at Texas Children's Hospital, where doctors discovered a tumor in the back of her head that may have been exacerbated by the fight she was involved in on Thursday afternoon, her mother, Mamie Jackson, told sister station KTRK-TV in Houston.
Jackson says when her daughter returned home Thursday afternoon, she had a bruise on her face but insisted she was OK.
Jackson said Kashala was at a family member's house Saturday, and her niece said she appeared to get delusional at one point, but things got back to normal.
On Sunday, Kashala became weak and complained to her mother over the phone of a painful headache.
"I drove over, and I told her get up," she said. "I said 'Get up, Kashala.' She kept saying, 'Mama, my head hurt,' so she laid down."
That would be the last time she saw her daughter's eyes opened. Jackson says by the time first responders arrived, Kashala was unconscious.
They rushed her to Texas Children's Hospital.
"And we found out she has a large tumor in the back of her head, and she had fluid buildup in her brain," Jackson said.
The tumor was unbeknownst to the family before doctors discovered it Sunday.
It is too early to tell if the fight contributed to Kashala's death or if it was solely a pre-existing condition.
The Houston and Houston Independent School District police departments are investigating the fight.
In a statement to ABC13 Eyewitness News, the district writes:
The Houston Independent School District is deeply saddened to learn of the death of one of our students. We extend our sincere condolences to the student's family, friends, teachers and classmates. Off-campus events that preceded the student's death are being investigated by the Houston Police Department, and HISD is cooperating. We have grief counselors available at Attucks Middle School for all who may need assistance.
Victor Senties, a spokesman for the Houston Police Department, said the incident is being investigated as a homicide, pending an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
"Until the autopsy is finished, we won't know," Senties told ABC News on Wednesday.
He said no arrests have been made and declined to release further details of the investigation.
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