Cause of death released for 13-year-old who died after fight outside her middle school
UPDATE 4/29/2019: The cause of death for 13-year-old Kashala Francis, who died just days after being attacked by three fellow students at her middle school has been released.
Houston news station KTRK reported that Kashala died due to complications of intracranial neoplasm, a brain tumor, as per the medical examiner's report.
Doctors discovered the tumor in the back of her head at Texas Children's Hospital after Kashala was placed on life support two days after the brutal attack outside of Attucks Middle School in Houston, Texas. It is believed that the assault, in which the three girls repeatedly punched and kicked Kashala in the head, may have exacerbated the tumor.
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UPDATE 4/25/2019: Kashala Francis, 13, has died Wednesday morning, just days after she was brutally attacked outside of Attucks Middle School by three other students.
The 7th-grade student was repeatedly punched and kicked in her head in a fight that was captured on cell phone footage on April 18. On Sunday, she complained of headaches and fell unconscious.
At the hospital, doctors made the discovery that Kashala had a brain tumor, as well as fluid build-up. Her mother, Mamie Jackson, believes that had the fight not occurred, she "would have had more time with my baby."
"It's not fair," Jackson discussed the footage with KTRK. "She did not deserve that. She kept saying 'Stop.' She didn't even want to fight, but they kept going."
Both Kashala's family and friends are mourning over the loss of the young girl. "She was a sweet baby, real sweet," her mother said. "She always said she loved me, gave me hugs, kisses."
"She always found a way to make me laugh, when I was sad or mad, no matter what happened,” said a friend.
Jackson feels like there is a lot she still does not know. For Jackson, a healthy 13-year-old dying just days after a fight does not make sense, even with the unknown tumor. Investigators are waiting for the autopsy results to determine how Kashala's injuries may have aided in her death.
"Why do I have to suffer?" Jackson asked. "Why do I have to wake up and she's not here?"
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A 13-year-old girl is on life support at Texas Children's Hospital two days after three girls attacked her outside of her middle school in Houston.
The Attucks Middle School student, Kashala Francis, told her mother, Mamie Jackson, that on Thursday she was attacked by two girls after school and at some point, a third girl jumped in and kicked her in the head. Jackson was able to see the bruising on her daughter's face, but the 7th-grade student told her she was okay.
On Saturday, Kashala was at a family member's house where Jackson's niece said the young girl was delusional, but then returned to normal. On Sunday, Kashala was complaining of a headache and weakness to her mother on the phone.
"I drove over and I told her get up. I said 'Get up, Kashala.' She kept saying, 'Mama, my head hurt,' so she laid down," Jackson told ABC13.
Kashala did not open her eyes again. When first responders arrived, she was unconscious.
At Texas Children's Hospital, doctors found a brain tumor that Kashala's family did not know about, as well as fluid buildup in her brain. It is unknown whether the tumor was a pre-existing condition or a result of the fight. The family's Facebook donation page, which has been set up to help pay for Kashala's medical expenses, reads, "After multiple surgeries, the doctors stated that there is nothing they can do for Kashala and she has been pronounced brain dead."
"All I know is my daughter was perfectly fine before this fight and now, I'm losing my baby," Jackson told ABC13 through tears. "Nobody knows how that feels to have to bury their child."
Both Houston and Houston Independent School District police departments are investigating the incident.
A representative for HISD did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s requests for comment, but they did provide the following statement to ABC13: "The district is aware that several Attucks Middle School students were involved in an off-campus altercation on Thursday. HISD is gathering information and cooperating with the Houston Police Department in its investigation."
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