Family sues Hamilton, Ont. school board after 5-year-old girl loses part of finger in alleged bullying incident
The mother of a five-year-old girl is suing her daughter’s school board after she was allegedly bullied so badly she was left with a partially amputated finger from an incident in the washroom.
Sjanita-Marie Harrison said Tuesday she is taking the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) to court over a number of alleged failings on the school’s part to protect her daughter.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“I’m upset. It’s been a long six months. I want my self back, I want my daughter’s finger back,” Harrison said at a news conference in Hamilton.
Harrison said her then four-year-old daughter, Autymn-Rose, was in a washroom at Prince of Wales Elementary School in November 2022 when a student slammed the door on her hand and partially severed her right ring finger.
She said as a result of the incident, her daughter’s finger was crushed and she was placed in an ambulance unaccompanied by school personnel.
Harrison’s lawsuit against the HWDSB alleges that the board, at a systemic level, did not act in a reasonable manner to prevent the incident and said the negligence regarding bullying and student safety left her daughter physically disfigured and emotionally damaged.
Autymn-Rose Harrison, 5, is seen in this undated image. (Supplied)
Harrison is calling on the school board to provide immediate health support and compensation for harm experienced and the termination of staff and executive members who she alleges “failed to uphold student safety and accountability with respect to the incident in question.”
“I’d like to be able to take her to play basketball and do the things that she used to be able to do. I’d like her to go back to school. She hasn’t been back in school since,” Harrison said.
A spokesperson for the HWDSB called the incident “terrible” and told CTV News Toronto that the board was sorry for the incident.
“We want to express our compassion to the family and to the student for the injury that was sustained and we're taking in their feedback,” Shawn McKillop said.
Autymn-Rose Harrison's mother, Sjanita-Marie, speaks at a news conference on Mar. 28, 2023.
“We have been in contact with the mother and we continue to have conversations with her. No one wants to go through an injury like this at a school, but when it happens, we are prepared.”
McKillop addressed the allegations that Harrison’s daughter was forced to travel in an ambulance to hospital alone, and said there are procedures in place for incidents like this that staff members follow “the best we can.”
“I want parents to know when their children are in our care we are doing everything we can do support that child.”
A very shy Autymn-Rose, who turned five-years-old on Tuesday, was at the news conference and briefly addressed the reporters in attendance by saying, “Thank you for helping me, love you guys.”
Harrison said she has since relocated her family following the incident due to the emotional toll it’s taken on them.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.