CINCINNATI — A Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) student says she was slapped by a masked stranger outside Ethel M. Taylor Academy in November, an incident that has her family questioning school security protocols and demanding justice.
Jaria Brown, a student at the middle school, said she was walking to the entrance at the start of the school day on a Friday when four people approached her. Two were fellow students, but the other two were strangers she told us she didn't recognize.
"It was 7:58. I was walking to school. Walking to the entrance," Brown said.
The group attempted to attack her, mistaking her for another girl involved in a fight the previous day, according to Brown. A school resource officer tried to intervene but was overwhelmed by the attackers, the family told us.
"The boy comes behind (the school resource officer). He tries to hit me, but then he ends up smacking the security guard. Then he gets me the second time. He ends up slapping me … and then I was in shock for a few seconds," Brown said.
Brown's aunt, Jewell Copeland, said she received a frantic FaceTime call from her niece immediately after the incident that morning.
"I answer the call. It's a FaceTime call, and she's crying. She's hysterical. You can see her cheek is red from where he slapped her. All she's saying is, 'A grown man slapped me, a grown man slapped me. They tried to jump me,'" Copeland said.
The family said they're concerned that one of the attackers was wearing a ski mask and was significantly larger than the typical students.
"When they saw somebody with a ski mask on, that should have immediately been a red flag," said Catherine Gulley, Brown's grandmother. "To me, that person should've been held immediately when he got out of the car."
Watch: Brown shares details about what led to the alleged assault
Cincinnati police records show officers were called to the school in mid-November for an assault. When we first contacted CPS about the incident, district officials said they had no record of the incident.
However, CPS issued a statement Tuesday saying, "CPS is aware of a physical altercation at Ethel M. Taylor Middle School. It was quickly contained, and there is no ongoing safety concern. The matter is under review."
The family said they have not received any updates from law enforcement since the initial incident just over a month ago.
"He could've had anything in his hand when he slapped her that could've cut her, in any way. It could've been worse than just a slap," Copeland said.
Brown said the incident highlights the need for improved security measures at the school, and that she wants to see more security guards.
The family said they continue to seek information about the suspect and push for an arrest in the case.
