Fight at Middleburg High School leaves 17-year-old hospitalized

Teen's father says another 17-year-old, her mother were behind attack

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – A fight at Middleburg High School last week left 17-year-old Tierra Hartley hospitalized.

School district officials confirmed there was an altercation May 7. Now a 17-year-old student is suspended as Hartley tries to recover.

"The girl came up behind her, shoved her, slammed her into a pole," said Daryl Shahan, Hartley's father.

He said one of his daughter's classmates and her mother were behind the attack that started over an ex-boyfriend. Channel 4 is not naming the other teen because she is a minor.

Shahan said they approached his daughter as she was leaving after-school tutoring.

"The woman's daughter just jumped her, started beating her in the face, smacking her head against the wall four times, and just pretty much beat her up," Shahan said.

He said Hartley had a concussion and her hair had been ripped out. The effects continue a week after the fight, with medical bills mounting.

"She was complaining about headaches still," Shahan said. "We took her back to the hospital for another CT scan, and their suggestion is we take her to a neurosurgeon."

Clay County deputies didn't provide much information but said they're investigating and working with the school. School district officials say the girl they believe started the fight has been suspended for 10 days and the principal has recommended she be expelled. A spokeswoman also said the principal set up a meeting with the teen and her mother on Monday, but they didn't show.

Shahan wants justice for his daughter. He said while the mother's role is unclear, she was there and what she did wasn't appropriate. He thinks the mother and the daughter should go to jail for an ambush he said could have been much worse.

"Some are saying she helped her daughter, some saying she hit my daughter, some saying it looked like she was breaking it up," Shahan said. "But she still snatched my daughter's hair out."

The girl accused of causing the fight answered her phone Tuesday and gave it to her father, who said he had no comment. While deputies haven't announced any plans to arrest her, her Twitter page said, "I'm getting arrested tomorrow."

Shahan said there about 10 people who witnessed the fight and some may have recorded it on video. He said deputies are still trying to get a hold of that, as it is possible evidence.