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A 16-year-old girl who died more than a week after a violent fight at her high school in South Los Angeles suffered “accidental” blunt force trauma to her head, a medical official said Tuesday.
Cellphone video of the fight at Manual Arts High School on March 5 shows Shaylee Mejia hitting her head against a bathroom stall and falling.
The girl’s mother, Maria Juarez, said her daughter complained of a headache for several days after the fight but continued to attend school.
Shaylee Mejia, 16, is seen dressed up on the day she attended a party and later became hospitalized on March 9, 2024. (Maria Juarez) 
Shaylee Mejia and another girl seen fighting in a school bathroom at Manual Arts High School. Photo is blurred to protect minors’ identities. (Maria Juarez) 
Shaylee Mejia and another girl seen fighting in a school bathroom at Manual Arts High School. Photo is blurred to protect minors’ identities. (Maria Juarez) 
Shaylee Mejia seen in a personal photo. 
Maria Juarez and her daughter Shaylee Mejia seen in a family photo.
Later that week, Shaylee fainted at a party and was rushed to a hospital by a friend.
Shaylee never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead six days later.
On Tuesday, a County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s initial report described the March 15 death as “accidental” and resulting from “Sequelae of blunt head trauma.”
No further notes were found on the report.
Juarez said last week that she believes her daughter died as a result of the bathroom fight.
She said Shaylee began coming home with bruises all over her body, presumably from fights, just months after enrolling at the school.
Juarez said she told the school about the fights in which she claimed her daughter was bullied but officials did nothing.
The Los Angeles Unified School District has not commented on the matter. Shaylee’s family said they hired an attorney and are considering legal action.
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the incidents.
