A third-grade boy was found beaten and unconscious inside his school bathroom in Tomball, Texas, according to reports.
Eight-year-old Christian Boynton’s family said he was attacked at Lakewood Elementary School on Tuesday by bullies who beat him up then left him on the floor of the bathroom.
The child was taken to a local hospital, then transferred to Texas Children’s Hospital once doctors realized he was suffering from minor bleeding on his brain.
Christian’s older sister, Kailee Boynton, told reporters that her brother was cornered by the three bullies when he arrived at school.
“They pinned my brother down. They were beating him. They beat him to the point of unconsciousness, where they continued to beat him,” Kailee commented, adding that “They went through his backpack.”
She said her brother cannot imagine why they would want to do something like that to him.
“He is so nice and kind that he can’t even fathom the fact that someone would want to hurt him or be cruel to him,” she said. “He told me ‘maybe they’re just having a rough day.'”
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Tomball Independent School District said it is investigating the incident and that appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken.
The statement read:
Tomball ISD is aware of an incident in the bathroom between several students at one of our elementary schools that resulted in one student being sent to the hospital with an injury. That student has since been released home. Out of respect for the family and the student’s privacy, we are not providing any more details on the incident at this time. We are thoroughly investigating the incident and will take appropriate disciplinary measures for all those involved. As always, student safety is our first priority in Tomball ISD.
On Tuesday, Kailee posted photos of her little brother while he was in the hospital to her Facebook page, asking friends and family for their support.
“Prayer warriors, I need you,” the post read.
The Boynton family said this is not the first time their son has been bullied at school but added that they hope to work with administrators to find a solution to the problem of bullying.
“This traumatic experience, to be heard by a whole bunch of people, that way they can see that bullying is a real thing,” Kailee noted. “It needs to be addressed at school, it needs to be addressed at home.”
Reports said Christian has since been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.