Mother files lawsuit after student’s fingertip severed in classroom incident
By Graham Cawthon
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LADY’S ISLAND, South Carolina (WJCL) — A Beaufort County mother is suing the Beaufort County School District, alleging her middle school daughter’s fingertip was severed in a classroom-door incident — and that school employees later threw the amputated tip in the trash, eliminating any chance it could be reattached.
In a complaint filed Jan. 16 in Beaufort County Court of Common Pleas, Shameika Freeman says her daughter was a student at Lady’s Island Middle School on Jan. 25, 2024, when she left homeroom with permission and a hall pass to use the bathroom. The lawsuit alleges another student left the classroom without a hall pass because staff failed to properly supervise or monitor students.
As the student returned and began to open the classroom door, the other student was in the hallway behind her and forcefully shut the heavy door, crushing her left hand, the complaint says. The impact severed the tip of her left ring finger and caused multiple fractures and a partial amputation, according to the filing.
The lawsuit also alleges that after the injury, school district employees or agents discarded the amputated fingertip in a garbage can and did not preserve it. Because the fingertip was not preserved, it could not be reattached during surgery later that day, the complaint says.
Freeman alleges the district had a duty to provide a safe environment and is liable under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act. The suit claims the district was negligent and grossly negligent in supervision, enforcement of policies, and in its response after the injury, including the handling of the amputated fingertip.
Freeman is seeking a jury trial and damages. The complaint cites state law caps of $300,000 per occurrence and argues multiple acts of negligence allow damages up to $600,000. The suit also names “John Does 1-10” as unidentified defendants.
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