Mother: Daughter was bullied, acting in self-defense in school bus attack

WASHINGTON - Disturbing cell phone video showing students beating a sixth grade boy on a school bus has prompted the accused attacker's family to speak out to FOX 5.

Several students are seen in the video, but the accused attacker's mother said her daughter was the only one suspended. She also told us that her daughter is the victim and was only acting in self-defense.

"My children told me that when they were on the bus, the young gentleman had sat on her lap and that he wouldn't get up when she asked him," said the girl's mother. "So she kind of pushed him up and he slapped her and that's when the fight started."

The mother added, "She was just defending herself, so now she scared. 'Oh mommy, what are they going to do to me? Now you know I don't want to ride the bus. I don't want to go to school. I don't want anybody teasing me or picking with me. I just want to go to school and learn.'"

The defendant's mother wanted to remain anonymous in fear of retaliation against her daughter who is seen on cell phone video attacking a sixth grade boy identified as "Myles."

The Accokeek Academy students were on a Prince George's County school bus when the fight happened.

The accused attacker's mother said what is seen on the video is self-defense. She said the reported victim has been bullying, tormenting and taunting her 11- and 12-year-old daughters for at least two months and this incident was no exception. She also said the bullying includes physical attacks.

This mother said she brought the bullying concerns to an administrator's attention and was told the situation was being handled.

"He had put his book bag in their face and he had done some little things like pushing them as far as that and they had let the school know about it," said the defendant's mother.

Was anything done about it?

"To my knowledge, the school was supposed to have been handling it," she said.

She also told us, "I went up there and I asked for information from the personnel in the school."

"I said what would make her act like that because that's out of character, that's completely out of character for her," said Veronica Henderson, the girl's godmother. "So my first reaction was to call her and ask, 'What happened?' And when I saw the video, I knew that she had to have been provoked.

"It's one thing to start something, but there's a difference when you're defending yourself, you shouldn't be targeted."

Prince George's County Public Schools released a statement saying:

"Prince George's County Public Schools expects students to conduct themselves in an appropriate, non-violent manner in accordance with the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. Students are encouraged to resolve conflicts peacefully, and to report any problems to school administrators. As a proactive measure, quarterly meetings are held this school year with Accokeek Academy students to discuss behavior on school buses."

A school spokesperson said the district has no record of the accused attacker or her mother discussing bullying concerns with administration.

We did reach out to the reported victim's family about these new accusations and they said it is a complete farce. The victim's family plans to press charges and will file a restraining order.