GEORGETOWN, Del. - 18-year-old Aniya Harmon, the former Sussex Central High School student who was depicted in a fight video spread among school employees, is now suing the school, its principal, its assistant principal, and the Indian River School District.
"Some things do need to change there, 100 percent, especially some stuff that has happened there before," Harmon says.
Attorneys representing Harmon say she was a senior at Sussex Central High School when she was approached and attacked by another student last May. They claim a faculty member attempted to pull Harmon away, which resulted in her shirt being pulled down, exposing her right breast.
According to a previous statement issued by Layfield's lawyer, Thomas Neuberger, a school constable separated the students, who were then restrained by a custodian and assistant principal Aerin Donovan. The statement says the girl being held by Donovan, who CoastTV News has now confirmed to be Harmon, jumped away and Donovan grabbed her shirt to hold on to her. This caused one of Harmon's breasts to be revealed. Neuberger's statement had said that the girl covered it up and continued trying to fight.
Harmon says Principal Layfield sent her home, but the other student got to stay. She told CoastTV News about her interaction with Layfield when she came back to school for graduation practice.
"Dr. Layfield had came to me and said that he was glad that I was behaving and after that, I haven't had any contact with him since," Harmon says.
Harmon's attorneys say that the whole fight was caught by a security camera, claiming school principal Dr. Bradley Layfield shared the video with school faculty unedited, uncensored.
In the lawsuit, attorneys claim that assistant principal Matthew Jones worked with Layfield to create a meme with Janet Jackson's face put on a still image from the video featuring Harmon's exposed breast. They then claim this meme was shared with other faculty members.
Neuberger previously said the principal shared the video with other staff members out of a concern for safety. In a statement on Tuesday, he tells CoastTV News that his client had no part in creating or circulating any meme that day.
"The lawsuit appears to be misdirected at my client and an exaggeration of alleged injuries, perhaps for financial reasons," Neuberger says.
Layfield's lawyer says the fight appears to have been racially motivated, but Harmon and her legal team say that's not true.
Harmon's Mother, Tosha White, tells CoastTV News that she was never contacted about any of this and it's been life-changing for her daughter.
"She didn't want to graduate, she didn't want to leave the house, she didn't want to go to work," White says.
According to court documents, Harmon is suing for Invasion of Privacy by Intrusion/Publication of Private Matters, Civil Conspiracy to Invasion of Privacy by Intrusion/Publication of Private Matters, Respondeat Superior, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, and Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress. The documents say Harmon is seeking damages as allowed by the court plus costs and interests and attorney's fees.
Harmon's legal team thinks the court needs to get involved for a number of reasons.
"The pedophilic type of behavior that was exhibited over here by targeting a young girl and using that to get a laugh out of the public at large," says Raj Srivatsan, Esquire.
Harmon wants to make sure this does not happen to another student.
"I hope they're disappointed in themselves and I hope they regret it and if they don't regret it then I don't know what else to tell them," Harmon says.
Lawyers say that both Layfield and Jones were put on administrative leave after these events took place.
Harmon and White are calling for policy changes and for the removal of the Sussex Central High School employees who are still on paid administrative leave.
It's important to note, that the woman who pulled Harmon away from the fight and exposed her in the process is not being sued. In fact, Harmon tells CoastTV News she didn't think too much of that. Her embarrassment and the subject of this lawsuit is the video constantly being re-shared.
The Indian River School District tells CoastTV News it does not comment on pending litigation.
Delaware State Police says they are still actively investigating, seeing if prosecutors believe criminal charges are warranted.