Family Files Civil Rights Suit Against Schools Over Medical Neglect
INDIANAPOLIS — What began as a mother’s plea for medical competency has escalated into a multi-agency investigation involving the Indiana Attorney General, the Department of Education, and the Office of Civil Rights.
Documents and recordings obtained reveal a systemic failure at Crestview Elementary that the family of 10-year-old Ahkil Williamson calls “corporate negligence” and “criminal recklessness.”
Ahkil, a Type 1 diabetic for over eight years, was withdrawn from the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township in December 2025 after his mother, Ebony, and sister, Knyla, said the school nurse administered a potentially life-threatening dose of insulin -despite Ahkil suffering from critically low blood sugar levels in the weeks leading up to the incident.
The Accusations: Record Manipulation and Lethal Dosing
The family’s formal complaints outline a pattern of professional misconduct by school nurse Amanda Kunzer. Beyond the previously reported 16-unit insulin dose that required an emergency ambulance transport on November 25, the family has produced Ahkil’s medical logbook as evidence of tampering. “There is an instance of white-out being used in a section where a blood sugar of 52 is interjected,” Knyla Coiley stated in a formal letter to the district. “Can we trust a nurse who uses white-out on critical medical records?”
The family says that Kunzer repeatedly failed to follow Ahkil’s Individualized Health Plan (IHP), causing his blood sugar to plummet to a life-threatening 33 mg/dL—lower than a previous episode that had caused the child to enter a state of delirium. Ebony, a nurse of 23 years, describes the administration of such high doses without proper monitoring as an “assault with lethal medication.”
A “Culture of Silence” in Leadership
The crisis extends beyond the nurse’s office to the highest levels of district leadership. During a recorded meeting on December 4, 2025, the family confronted Director of Student Services Shawn Bush and Director of Nursing Amanda Pardue regarding a district policy that prohibits nurses from calling 911 unless a student is already unconscious.
“I’m hearing that she is not capable of managing my medically complex son, you have an unsafe nurse-to-student ratio, and the policy makes it okay,” Ebony told officials during the meeting.
According to the family, no one in the room—including Scott Showen, a representative from Community Health Network (which contracts nurses to the district)—denied or corrected that statement. The family says that Pardue and Bush prioritized “administrative convenience” and “protecting assets” over the safety of a disabled student.
The “Child Find” Violation and Educational Exclusion
The family has filed a formal violation with the Indiana Department of Education under 511 IAC 7-40-1 (Child Find). They argue that the school was fully aware that Ahkil’s disability—and the subsequent medical mismanagement by staff—was causing a 100% loss of instructional time. Despite this, the district failed in its legal duty to evaluate him for special education services under the “Other Health Impairment” category.
Disability Discrimination and Denial of FAPE
The family believes Ahkil was denied access to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) based on disability discrimination under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Under these federal laws, public entities are required to provide a safe environment and reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities (such as Type 1 Diabetes). The family contends that failing to follow a prescribed medical plan—and maintaining a policy that delays intervention until a student is unconscious—is “grossly unreasonable,” discriminatory, and constitutes a direct denial of FAPE.
Housing Insecurity and the McKinney-Vento Act
Ahkil and his family are currently experiencing housing insecurity. According to the McKinney-Vento Act, students have the right to remain in their “school of origin” (the school attended when permanently housed). However, because the school of origin has proven medically unsafe and the staff offered no corrective assistance for Ahkil’s care, the family is in an impossible position: the Department of Child Services (DCS) requires school attendance, yet the current educational environment poses a threat to Ahkil’s life.
Due to his mother’s recent hospitalization and ongoing housing instability, Ahkil has been unable to attend school since November 25th. The fallout has been devastating. Because the school could not guarantee Ahkil’s safety, his mother, Ebony, was forced to withdraw both Ahkil and his brother, Ahzir, to protect them from further medical neglect and potential retaliation.
Homelessness and the Barrier to Education
The timing of the school’s negligence has created a “perfect storm” of hardship for the family. Ebony, who suffers from Lupus, lost her job in 2023 due to her health and has since been facing homelessness.
“My diabetic brother and other brother attending Crestview was helping my mother out with the situation,” Knyla explained. “Them being forced out of the school has caused a greater barrier considering they are homeless and DCS wanted the kids in school.”
While Knyla has attempted to house her mother and four siblings, the family is currently moving between hotels and shelters. The loss of a safe school environment has stripped the children of their only remaining sense of stability.
Not the only Accusation
Adding to this incident, a lawsuit was filed against the district in the Spring of 2025, claiming that employees at Mary E. Castle Elementary neglected a student in the midst of a life-threatening asthma attack, failing to provide any emergency medical intervention.
The Lawsuit says that in April of 2023 a student suffered an attack during recess and notified his teacher. According to court documents, school employees failed to follow the child’s Asthma Action Plan, neglected to call 911, and failed to administer any emergency treatment.
The filing says that instead of receiving medical help, the child was forced to lie down outside. As the school day ended, personnel reportedly placed the student on a bus and sent him home without notifying his parents or emergency responders.
Upon arrival at his home, the boy was unable to walk and had to be carried off the bus by his mother. He was subsequently life-lined to an Indianapolis intensive care unit (ICU) for treatment related to oxygen deprivation. The child’s mother, Kenyetta Bradley, is seeking compensatory damages for negligence and medical expenses.
Seeking Accountability
The family is now exploring litigation for Negligent Hiring, Supervision, and Retention. They are requesting the contract between Lawrence Township and Community Health Network to determine who bears ultimate responsibility for the nurse’s conduct.
Despite the district’s reported silence, Knyla remains undeterred: “While Ahkil will not be attending any other school in this district, it does not stop this arising again if another child with diabetes walks into Crestview. … Equitable outcomes mean everyone has fair access to thrive. Ahkil did not.”
Official Responses
When reached for comment regarding the accusations, the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township declined to address the specific details of Ahkil’s case, citing student privacy laws. In a brief statement, the district noted that “Board policies are readily available for public review on the district website,” but did not elaborate on the claims regarding emergency response protocols or medical record management.
While the family accuses a broader “culture of silence” within the district, IMPD says they have not observed a systemic pattern of medical neglect calls originating from Lawrence Township elementary schools. However, this investigation remains active and has been assigned to a detective and remains an ongoing inquiry. Police officials added that “protecting children is a shared responsibility” and urged any community members with “genuine concerns” about a child’s safety to contact local law enforcement or the Department of Child Services.
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Family Files Civil Rights Suit Against Schools Over Medical Neglect was originally published on wibc.com
