BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Video shows one boy telling a sixth grader to lick the bottom of his shoe as the other slaps him with cheese. In response, his family held a protest to stand against bullying and demand justice.
- The video of the apparent bullying incident went viral on social media, leading to the arrest of the two Golden Valley students seen in the video.
- Golden Valley High School students and community members protested outside the high school on Tuesday afternoon asking for better parenting to prevent future incidents of bullying.
- The Bakersfield Police Department says the 14 and 15-year-old boys seen in the video were arrested and booked into juvenile hall for battery, false imprisonment and conspiracy.
Home security camera footage caught an apparent bullying incident happening right here on Monday after school, leaving a sixth grade boy in tears and a community outraged.
“Lick the bottom of my shoe or get slapped with cheese,” one of the high school boys in the video, said.
Viral video shows sixth grader Carter Lashaul’s walk home from school turning ugly.
“Nah, get down on the floor,” the teen tells Carter.
The video continues to show one of the boys slap Carter with a piece of cheese as the other tells him to lick the bottom of his shoe.
“Immediately to me I was like he’s in danger. Something’s going on with him,” Adina Alaniz, the woman who stopped the incident, said.
She says she was taking a nap when she woke up to the noise outside her house.
When she checked her cameras, she says she got outside as quickly as she could to find out what happened to Carter.
“I thought that I made it in time. He was standing there when I came out. The kids were, obviously, running around, and I didn't think anything had happened to him until he told us,” Alaniz said.
When Alaniz took him home, she says Carter told her he used to be friends with the boys.
“To hear him cry like he was crying, it was unacceptable,” Eilen Gilbert, Carter's aunt, said.
On Monday night, the video circulated on social media, reached Carter’s sister who organized a protest outside of Golden Valley High School on Tuesday afternoon.
“‘I'm not letting my brother be more publicly exposed or humiliated, so I'm going to speak up on his behalf,” Mariah Washington, Carter's sister, said.
Dozens of students left class to take a stand against bullying and show their support for Carter.
“In this type of situation, I feel like it’s very heartwarming that people do come out and support, and to let it be known that it's not okay to bully, at all,” Azorea Cooper, a senior at Golden Valley High School, said.
The Kern High School District released a statement about the incident.
"On Monday afternoon, Golden Valley High School administration was made aware of a video documenting an incident involving students in a neighborhood near the campus. The actions exhibited in the video are deeply disturbing and do not align with Golden Valley High School's values. We stand firmly against such behavior and do not tolerate bullying. Golden Valley High School remains committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all students. We are actively investigating this matter and are working closely with the Bakersfield Police Department and Kern High School District Police to address it appropriately. Golden Valley High School encourages anyone who witnesses bullying to report it immediately to an adult on campus or anonymously through the "Bulldog Report" on the school's website homepage."
“Something should be [done] about the boys that did it," Gilbert said. "They should go to Juvenile Hall, and do some time and let them sit there and soak in what they did and think about what they did.”
The Bakersfield Police Department says the 14 and 15-year-old boys seen in the video attended Golden Valley High School and confirmed they were arrested and booked into juvenile hall for battery, false imprisonment and conspiracy.
Along with the family, the students and community members at the protest say they want to see a change in the parenting to stop bullying from happening again.
“My initial response is to always protect the kids I guess, regardless if they're mine or not. Bullying is an absolute no for me, so if I'm able to put a stop to it, I mean, I will," Alaniz said.
The family members tells me Carter is doing okay, but they ask the community to continue supporting them through prayers.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
