Redford, Michigan – In a concerning incident at Pierce Middle School, an 11-year-old nonverbal student with a cognitive impairment, sensory deficit, and brain damage, named Leila Tumer, was found with unexplained injuries on Tuesday, December 5th, 2023. Leila’s mother, Janay Madison, received a distressing phone call from her daughter’s teacher, Sarah Gleason, stating that Leila was experiencing an allergic reaction at school.
Curious about the cause of the reaction, Janay inquired if Leila had consumed anything unusual. To her surprise, the teacher replied in the negative. As concern grew, Janay requested photos of Leila’s supposed rashes from the teacher. Upon receiving the images, she noticed that the marks appeared more like bruises consistent with forceful grabbing rather than mere rashes. Speculating that they resembled a handprint, Janay insisted on meeting with the principal and the staff member who was with Leila when the injuries occurred.
However, the staff members claimed to be unaware of how the injuries were sustained. Professionals who were with Leila during her teacher’s lunch break provided contradictory accounts of when the injuries occurred, even suggesting the possibility of them happening during Leila’s bus ride to school. Janay decided to reach out to the transportation department, briefly explaining the situation to the director, who assured her that they would review bus ride footage and share it with the principal.
In the official police report of the incident, according to Madison during the subsequent meeting, the director of special education seemed dismissive of Janay’s concerns. Continuously attempting to talk over her, the director failed to address Janay’s worries about her child’s safety. As Leila is nonverbal, her mother is understandably anxious about her well-being. Janay is determined to hold accountable whoever is responsible for her daughter’s injuries.
Adding to her frustration, Leila’s classmates are also nonverbal, making it difficult to gather verbal explanations of what took place. With limited avenues for communication, Janay and other parents of nonverbal students emphasize the need for a thorough investigation that prioritizes the safety and well-being of their children.
The Redford School district authorities are expected to thoroughly investigate this incident, considering all available evidence, including the bus ride footage. Leila’s mother, along with concerned parents, is hopeful that justice will be served, and measures will be put in place to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
