A Michigan elementary school student was charged with aggravated assault for hitting a classmate in the head with a ball during a game of dodgeball on the school playground, according to WXYZ-TV Detroit.
Ten-year-old Bryce Lindley, who is entering fifth grade, learned he was being charged last week for the incident that occurred back on April 29. At the time, he was suspended from school for one day. His mother was blown away.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Bryce’s mother, Carmeishi. “This is a kid that was playing on the playground with his friends.”
How did it become a legal issue?
The boy who was hit with the ball suffered facial tissue damage, a black eye and a bruised nose. His mother said he has a medical condition that makes him susceptible to head injuries. He was diagnosed with a concussion.
This, according to the victim’s mother, was not the first instance of her son getting hit in the head with a ball. She told WXYZ that it happened twice previously, although it is unclear whether Bryce was involved in the previous instances. The victim’s mother said she reported the problem to the school just a few weeks before the April 29 injury.
“I tried not to let it get to this point,” the victim’s mother said.
“My son was hit twice in the face with a ball previously due to this,” she continued. “The child apologized to my son and my son said ‘mom it’s okay we’re still going to be friends.'”
The case was evaluated by the Wayne County Juvenile Prosecuting Unit, which determined that there was sufficient cause to bring charges against Bryce.
The first court hearing in the case is set for Aug. 1. Bryce’s mother said the family is soliciting donations in order to pay the $4,000 in legal fees she said the family is incurring.
(H/T Yahoo Lifestyle)
