A silly fight over a boy has destroyed the lives of four young women who should be preparing to enjoy their summer break. However, one child is dead and three others could spend years behind bars after being charged with murder.
On April 21, Amy Joyner-Francis, 16, went to a restroom at Howard High School in Wilmington, Delaware when she was followed by three other teens. After a brief argument, the three girls surrounded Joyner-Francis. One of the students, Trinity Carr, 16, was captured on video hitting Joyner-Francis in the head and torso several times. At some point, her head was slammed into a sink. The other two students, Zion Snow and Chakeira Wright, helped to plan the attack on Joyner-Francis.
Joyner-Francis was left unconscious and was flown to a nearby hospital where she later died. An autopsy revealed that Joyner-Francis had a pre-existing heart condition, but she would not have died if the attack had not occured.
The fight, and subsequent death, sheds light on the ongoing issue of violence in schools when it comes to young women. According to the CDC’s School Associated Violent Death Study, over 22 percent of female students have reported being bullied, which was more than the average male student who was bullied (18 percent).
Beyond the classroom, it’s important for young women to be allowed the opportunity to build self-esteem and character. Social media and mainstream images can destroy the confidence of young women who may feels as if they don’t meet beauty standards provided by such mediums. Without healthy ways to express themselves, some young women turn to bullying as a way to cope with unchecked aggression.
Carr, Snow and Wright were suspended from school and now have all been charged. Carr, who faces the more severe charges, was charged with criminally negligent homicide. She will be tried as an adult and faces eight years in prison.
