Girl, 12, Faces Charges After Death of School Safety Agent

The NY Times ^ | Dec. 18, 2005 | KAREEM FAHIM

[summer]

Vivian A. Samuels

A 12-year-old girl who struck a school safety agent shortly before the agent died on Friday night has been charged with harassment and resisting arrest, the authorities said. She was later released from police custody.

The girl, whose name the authorities did not release, will appear in Family Court in Brooklyn on Monday, when officials from the city's Probation Department will decide whether further legal action will be taken against her, said Laurence Busching, the chief of the Family Court Division of the City Law Department.

On Friday night, Vivian A. Samuels, 56, was escorting the girl from a holiday dance at Intermediate School 390 in Brooklyn when the girl began kicking and flailing, striking Ms. Samuels at least once in the head, the authorities said.

The safety agent, who began feeling short of breath as her colleagues came to her aid, was taken to Kings County Hospital Center, where she was pronounced dead. The authorities believe she may have had a heart attack....

School safety agents are civilian employees of the Police Department....

[summer]

Yesterday I posted the initial news article about this matter:

School Safety Agent Dies After Escorting Student From Holiday Dance [Teen kicks]

[summer]

A 12-year-old girl who struck a school safety agent shortly before the agent died on Friday night has been charged with harassment and resisting arrest, the authorities said

If this is all she's charged with, then she's getting off easy.

[OldFriend]

Radio news reporting only that the woman collapsed and died of a heart attack while escorting a student.

No mention at all of the circumstances AND the attack.

[summer]

FYI, an update.

[summer]

Very interesting.

There was a time when I thought more blacks working in these kind of schools would help these kids more, but I no longer think that. There are blacks I've talked to who will not work with these kids any more because of the potential for violence. When black adults won't work with black kids, I don't think anyone can call that racist.

[mtbopfuyn]

Depends on the cause of death. If the head injury caused the death, then the girl is at fault. If the woman had a heart attack, even if was brought on by the excitement, then the girl shouldn't be charged with murder.

[OldFriend]

A few years ago, in NY, a young girl attacked her pregnant teacher. The injuries were severe. The reason for the attack.....the teacher called the girl's parents to discuss the lack of effort on the homework.

The community held marches to support the student.

[summer]

Geeze. I heard a similiar saga from someone else recently, a teacher who got harassed for contacting parents about students. What can I say. I feel sorry for these kids and their parents and their situation, but I think I have finally reached the point where I feel: Good luck to them. I can't solve the problem. And, I don't feel like waiting around until I get punched or kicked or worse. So, good luck, kids!

[Right Wing Assault]

When black adults won't work with black kids, I don't think anyone can call that racist.

Civil rights pimps can say anything they want. All they have to do is say the person wasn't really black (just an oreao) or wasn't black at all. Bill clinton, though, was really black.

[davisfh]

"When black adults won't work with black kids, I don't think anyone can call that racist."

No, but you'll likely be called racist for even mentioning it. There is no longer a two-way street out there.

[tracer]

Very sad. Likely a case of inadequate basic and in-service training, personnel monitoring, SOPs, equipment, and organization. Prayers for the officer and her family and colleagues......

[infidel29]

Thanks for the update, seems the little daisy is getting away with ...manslaughter.

[Chode]

and what do you suggest she be charged with???

[AnAmericanMother]

Well, since the old common law rule was that "you take your victim as you find him," the usual example being an abnormality in the skull that renders a blow to the victim's head fatal . . .

She had no intent to kill, but she meant to strike the officer, so I would say voluntary manslaughter.

[FreedomPoster]

Bingo. That was my thought as well.

[summer]

The NY Post also has an article about this; and in their version, they said the following:

This safety officer had been on the job for more than 20 years (so it was not a training issue, apparently), the 12 year old girl was overweight and "hefty," and the girl threw not one punch, but two punches directly at the head of the officer.

In addition, the punches flew after the girl was asked to leave with the officer, and the girl demanded a refund of her $6 (six dollars) admission cost to the dance. The refund did not appear to be forthcoming, so the girl punched the officer twice.

Finally, the officer's family is saying this officer had no prior medical conditions and no heart conditions. The officer was very involved with her church, and her son is a minister.

Here's a brief excerpt (NY Post requires registration):

KID SOCKED IN DEATH OF SCHOOL OFFICER

By TOM LIDDY and HASANI GITTENS
December 18, 2005 -- A 12-year-old middle-school girl whose pummeling of a school safety agent preceded the woman's sudden death is facing charges of resisting arrest and harassment — and was released to her family, officials said yesterday....[Register to read MORE HERE.]

[summer]

Also see the above update, from the NY Post.

[summer]

Also see post #16 for an update from the NY Post.

[summer]

FYI.

[Chode]

these kids have absolutely NO respect for authority and she'd-a done the Exact Same Thing if it had been a REAL Policewoman... would that finally make it murder then since it was in the line of duty???