Mother demands justice after 15-year-old son beaten by students and adults near Old Harbour High

A 15-year-old boy was set upon by a group of students and adults along Old Harbour Road last Thursday, and his mother says she is not seeking apologies from other parents—she wants justice.

Police officers were at Old Harbour High School on Monday as authorities continued to deal with an assault that left the teenager needing hospital care. The boy’s mother said she is shaken but grateful he survived, noting she has heard of other cases in which students did not make it home from school.

She was at work when another child called to tell her what had happened. When she saw her son and later watched footage of the attack, she said she could not understand why he was targeted in that way. She had sent him to school that morning; she collected him from a police station and they went straight to hospital instead of home. Doctors treated a head injury, an arm injury, and scratches and bruises on his face. She said he is recovering and that his wellbeing is her main concern for now.

Ten students linked to the attack have been suspended for ten days. Police have three adults in custody. Principal Linton Weir said the school is moving quickly to ensure justice is served and to make clear to the community that such conduct will not be tolerated.

Weir said inquiries suggest the boy was attacked because of association with someone else. According to his understanding, another grade-eight student had a dispute with the group, and when they could not find that pupil, they turned on his friend. He said it was especially troubling that adults joined students in the violence.

The mother said she does not want contact from parents of those involved. She fears the incident could affect her son’s mental health in years to come if memories of the assault resurface.

Police who spoke to students at the school described the episode as an ugly, violent brawl. They said they are trying to break a pattern of students turning to gang-style behaviour on campus, which they said does not reflect the Old Harbour High they know. Officers said students involved in the attack have been identified.