(WWJ) A 15-year-old who drowned in the Mumford High Schoool pool was mentally disabled and being bullied, his mother claimed in an emotional press conference in Detroit today.
Mother Christina Blanding is trying to find the answers for her son's death after she said the young man was discovered dead with blood coming from his mouth and a gash on his head.
She believes he was a victim of roughhousing in the pool that turned deadly.
Blanding added that she never signed a consent form for her son to use the pool.
"They don't have no control and they need somebody to come down here and step in and control this," Blanding said in her lawyer Johnny Hawkins' office. "This is outta hand. No child should die on a teacher's watch."
Reportedly no teacher was present when Da'Sean Blanding died.
The teacher in charge at the time was suspended with pay while officials investigate. "They can take his pay away from him, they can," Blanding said, through tears.
She wants changes to state law to better protect mentally disabled students, and prevent bullying.
Detroit Public Schools Chair Dr. Iris Taylor and Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti released a statement after Blanding's death announcing that said:
"Yesterday's loss of one of our students during school hours and at one of our schools has been one of the most difficult incidents we have endured as a School Board/Superintendent team. We are committed to determine what caused this tragic loss at the highest level of transparency once the facts surface regarding what occurred. If the conclusion of the investigation reveals any wrongdoing then we will be sure to hold any and all personnel or students accountable. At this point, the swimming teacher has been placed on administrative leave pending the conclusion of the investigation or the surfacing of more facts regarding the incident. "
