Beaufort Co. high school student hospitalized for eye injuries after school fight
A fight at Whale Branch Early College High School sent one female student to the hospital Friday — but not before she finished her day at school.
The fight occurred at around 2 p.m. , police reports show. The student was struck in the face multiple times with a closed fist, leading to injuries and swelling in both of her eyes, according to Maj. Angela Viens, a spokesperson for the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
Despite her injuries, the student wasn’t immediately taken to the hospital — instead, she went home from school, which ended at 3:45 p.m. After seeing her injuries, her mother took her to Beaufort Memorial Hospital. From there, the mother phoned the police.
The student’s mother told police she was upset with Whale Branch High School for failing to inform her about the incident, despite school officials being aware of her daughter’s injuries, according to police reports.
The Beaufort County Board of Education’s official procedure requires schools to notify a parent or guardian if their child is affected by a medical emergency and to call Emergency Medical Services “when a very serious accident occurs.”
The injured student also suffers from juvenile arthritis, which worsened the pain following the attack, her mother said.
The student’s mother could not immediately be reached for comment.
Additional details on the fight are unavailable, according to Viens. The case is still under investigation, so it is not yet known if charges will be filed.
School officials do not comment on such cases, per district policy.
