Texas Mom Fights for Answers After Autistic Daughter, 13, Allegedly Beaten by Bullies, School Withholds Video

A Texas mother is fighting to get justice for her autistic daughter, who was beaten severely by a group of bullies at her middle school. The school authorities, who were responsible for her well-being, are now refusing to release a video of the incident, which could also serve as evidence in the case.

The 13-year-old autistic girl has been identified as Maddison McDonald, who spent her last school year reporting a pattern of bullying to Sul Ross Middle School located in San Antonio. The school did not respond to her reports of being bullied until it was too late.

On the GoFundMe page dedicated to Maddison, her mother, Hazel McDonald, stated that “Every time she had her statement ripped up, she’s told she is making it up and to go back to class.” The post added, “Sadly, on February 26, the five girls bullying and threatening Maddie made good on their threats.”

Maddison, who was diagnosed with ADHD and autism, was kicked in the head, neck, sides, and back, punched and dragged by her hair, while screaming for help, her mother said.

Sal Ross Middle School, on the other hand, has said the issue was swiftly ‘addressed’ and has refused to release surveillance footage of the attack, which shows Maddison walking on the school campus and then being grabbed by several other students, according to reports from News 4 San Antonio.

“Faculty stood by and did nothing. The same admin who ripped up her reports of being bullied stood over her right after the attack, making her sit in a chair bleeding, terrified, and begging for help," Hazel McDonald said.

The mother said she had gone to the school several times before her daughter was attacked, sending several emails, contacting the superintendent and visiting in person.

“I never could get anyone to follow up and find out why these kids kept going after Maddison,” she wrote on the fundraiser, which has raised over $13,800 as of May 4 for Maddison’s legal and medical bills.

“The humiliation she had to endure should have never happened… All I’ve heard from the school is that no bullying ever happened there, that we never reported it,” Hazel McDonald said.

"The school allegedly made her write a false statement saying everything that happened to her was her fault, while refusing to allow her to receive medical care,” her mother continued to write on the fundraising page.

According to Hazel, the school attempted to call 911 for medical attention. Still, it did not allow Maddison to contact her parents or receive care for around an hour until her mother arrived.

Hazel also mentioned that the school principal issued a false statement to parents and students after the school went on lockdown. News 4 spoke with officials from the Sal Ross school, who said the matter was handled swiftly, despite claims that contradicted the statement. Hazel has since hired a lawyer.