BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — A Bakersfield mother is demanding answers after she says her first-grade daughter was kicked in the face by a classmate at College Heights Elementary School, leaving a shoe imprint that was still visible two days later.
The girl’s mother, Sandra Orellana, said the incident has been especially difficult because her daughter, Abigail Orellana, is on the autism spectrum.
The family shared photos of Abigail’s bruise on social media to show the school and the other child’s parents how serious the injury was.
While they know a simple apology will not erase the impact, the family said they hope the student will apologize and believe Abigail would likely forgive him.
Orellana said her daughter was alone on the stairs when a group of children gathered around her.
ABBY ORELLANA WAS KICKED IN THE FACE BY ANOTHER CHILD, HER MOTHER SAYS HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY BULLYING HER.{ } PHOTO CREDIT: SANDRA ORELLANA
“She was literally lying on, um, some stairs, just by herself and when a group of kids surrounded her, and, um, he just kicked her in the face, and it doesn’t look like a kick. It looked like a stomp because of her, the imprints that she has on her face,” Orellana said.
Orellana said she panicked after receiving a phone call that her daughter might need to go to urgent care.
“It’s an elementary school, like, why do I have to take her to urgent care? You know what I mean? Like, how can this injury be so bad at an elementary school?” she said.
FILE COLLEGE HEIGHTS SCHOOL
Abigail was hurt severely enough that urgent care staff considered CT scans and X-rays.
Orellana said she is disappointed in what she described as a lack of supervision by campus aides during break time, particularly because, she said, staff should know her daughter has autism.
She also said the student who kicked Abigail had been bullying her for months and that the family had repeatedly reported concerns to the school.
ABBY ORELLANA WAS KICKED IN THE FACE BY ANOTHER CHILD, HER MOTHER SAYS HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY BULLYING HER.{ }PHOTO CREDIT: SANDRA ORELLANA
“I feel like they would just brush it off,” Orellana said.
Orellana said she wanted to file a police report but ultimately did not.
In a statement from Bakersfield police Sgt. Eric Celedon, who oversees school resource officers in Bakersfield, he said there is currently no school resource officer assigned to College Heights Elementary.
Celedon said that while a report can be documented, no criminal action would follow.
He also said officers have responded to the school to ensure staff properly review and investigate the situation.
Orellana said she was told instead to file a complaint with the school district.
She said she did and was told the student might be suspended.
The Bakersfield City School District’s communications department did not provide a response with further information or any steps the district may be taking.