WXYZA black 10-year-old boy has been charged with assault after hitting his white friend with a dodgeball in a game similar to dodgeball.
Schoolboy Bryce, of Canton, Michigan, had been playing a game similar to dodgeball at Ruth Eriksson Elementary on April 29, when another student was struck in the face with a dodgeball.
A police report was then filed which claimed Bryce had intentionally thrown the ball at the other boy’s face. As well as being suspended from school for a day, Bryce is now facing a charge of aggravated assault.
As reported by WXYZ Detroit, Bryce’s mother Cameishi Lindley was shocked after receiving a call from Wayne County Juvenile Court telling her Bryce had been accused of assault.
Cameishi told WXYZ Detroit:
These kids are basically playing a game we all have played.
[…] I couldn’t believe it. This is a kid that was playing on the playground with his friends.
The other mother, who has chosen to remain anonymous, has stated her son suffers from a medical condition which means head injuries can be very dangerous for him. Medical records show the boy had sustained a concussion.
The unnamed mother told WXYZ Detroit: how she had ‘tried not to let it get to this point’ but feared for her son’s safety after previous incidents:
He sustained facial issue damage to his face. He had a black eye and a bruised nose.
[…] My son was hit twice in the face with a ball previously due to this.
The child apologised to my son and my son said ‘mom it’s okay we’re still going to be friends’.
WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7/YouTubeCameishi has said she was unaware of the other boy’s medical condition, and told WXYZ Detroit: how she wished the situation could have been resolved in the classroom rather than the courtroom:
I am unaware of any of those situations, I’m sorry that her child got hurt. I’d be sorry for any child that got hurt.
Cameishi added that the boy probably shouldn’t have been playing the game in the first place, which involved children throwing dodgeballs up in the air.
🗣There is a 10 year old black boy,Bryce, in America who has been hit with an aggravated assault charge via Dodgeball.
All because the white boy’s mother, who knew about his illness, didn’t specify to the school that her child should not be involved with that type of sport
— 👑LaShanna (@87Halfpint) July 28, 2019
This is one of the most disgusting and heartbreaking things I have ever read!! To charge a 10 year old with assault over a dodgeball game on is sick!
— ZenaZee (@SunshineDay201) July 30, 2019
Bryce and his family are now facing legal fees of around $4,000.
Bryce’s Juvenile Court date is set for August 1. To help cover the cost of her son’s legal fees, Cameishi has set up a fundraising page which you can donate to here.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.