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A Broken Jaw From School Fight
posted (May 14, 2013)
Tonight, 18 year-old Ernest Leslie, a 4th Form Senior at Excelsior High School, who is only days away from graduation, is facing a grievous harm charge after he allegedly broke the jaw of one of his female peers on the high school's compound last week Thursday.

The victim of the injuries, 18 year-old Shafane Flowers needs extensive surgery, and today, her mother spoke to the media pleading to the public for assistance.

Daniel Ortiz got her version of the story, and he also spoke with the school's administration. Here's what he found out.

Daniel Ortiz reporting
19 year-old Shafane Flowers is in visible pain as she holds on to her lower jaw which remains broken in 3 separate places. She suffered these injuries due to a fight with a male 4th form student, which took place on the Excelsior High School compound. According to her mother, this situation escalated because her daughter was being bullied for almost a month where the young man reportedly called her disrespectful names. They had an exchange of insults, and it became violent. Now, Flowers' broken jaw makes it difficult for to speak, and more importantly, to eat.

Shirley Mejia - Mother of Injured Student
"Last week Thursday May 9th, I got a call to go to the school because my daughter suffered an injury. When I went to the school, I didn't meet my daughter at the school I met the principal. I asked what had happened and she told me that my daughter Shafane Flowers and a little boy Ernest went into a little argument and they exchanged blows - they didn't exchange blows, he exchanged blows with her. When she got hit she rode off from the school and went home. When I got home I met her at home and she was crying and saying she was in pain so I asked her what happened and she showed me her mouth because she couldn't speak. She spit out an amount of blood so I decided to take her to Karl Heusener Emergency. They took the X-Ray and when the doctor saw it and told us that the injury that she suffered is out of their hands and that they cannot fix it. She explained to me that I have to go accross from KHMH to the lab to see another doctor (Samos). When I went there he looked at her mouth and he also said it is out of his hands and he cannot fix it. He told me I needed to go to Orange Walk to see a specialist. I went there Saturday and the doctor looked at this mouth and he explained to me that I will need at least $5,000 to do a surgery on her mouth plus to wire it. I don't have that money to do it."

Mejia is looking to the School for some sort of assistance to solicit funding to afford this surgery. The Chairman of the Board at Excelsior told us that he empathizes with the family, and he agrees that her health is the highest priority.

Marshall Nunez - Board Chairman, Excelsior High School
"Firstly please allow me to express our regrets on behalf of the school and empathize with Shafane, the young lady who received the injury. It is really and truly and unfortunate situation. We certainly wouldn't have wanted something like that to have happened. It has happened and we are extremely saddened by that situation. They have to do corrective surgery and I believe it is going to cost in the vicinity of $5,000. It's unfortunate that you have more information than I do. I did not know that she had come to the school asking for help to solicit the kind of funding. But I will have to say that within reason if the school is in a position in helping them with fund raising I think we will be more than happy to help, within reason however we can. Her well being has to be put as a priority."

Even though she is clearly the victim of the physical injury, 7News has received reliable reports that describes Flowers as the aggressor. Be that as it may, they both have to suffer other consequences connected to this fight.

Shirley Mejia
"Why I'm not happy with this situation is because I went to Krem and when I left there I got a call saying that I need to go to the school. When I got to the school I met two police at the school saying that the little boy is getting threats at the school and that we know about it. So we went to the station and I asked them why would they call us when we are seeking attention for her and she is the one that got hurt and they are treating us like it's the little boy that got hurt, it's not right."

Marshall Nunez
"We are still putting together the information. As the chairman I don't really stay here, I come around occasionally but we will be putting the investigation together and then the board will have to meet to determine how we will act in regards to this. It is an unfortunate situation - the young lady has been grievously injured and that shall not be taken lightly. In this case they are both seniors and graduation is in less than a month and so both of them will be deeply affected by this. The managing authority will have to determine what decision will be made in regards to this incident that is so unfortunate."

Leslie and Flowers have completed fourth form, and they are only waiting for the ceremony to formally receive their diplomas.

Leslie was at the school because he was doing work toward his CSEC exams. The Board will convene to determine what consequences they will face at the disciplinary level. After that, Leslie will have to answer to that criminal charge.

Any member of the public who would like to assist Shafane flowers to raise that $5,000 for her corrective surgery, is asked to contact the family at telephone number, 669-2986.

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