Menchville student ‘aimed to make the world better’
Sophomore died Tuesday after fainting at school
NEWPORT NEWS — Kaleiah Jones was her mother’s helper.
She volunteered at church. She donated to the homeless. She helped whenever needed at home.
“She was a sweet kid,” said her mom, Keyonna Stewart.
Kaleiah died Tuesday after fainting at Menchville High School, where she was a sophomore.
Kaleiah had just turned 16 in January and planned to get her learner’s permit next month.
“Instead of buying her her first car, we purchased a casket yesterday,” said Kaleiah’s aunt, Shondale Cross.
Kaleiah was an honor student and wanted to be a marine biologist. She also had a creative streak and loved baking cakes.
“She literally got along with everybody,” Cross said. “She aimed to make this world a better place.”
Stewart said her daughter recently was diagnosed with bradycardia, which is a slow heart rate, and Long QT syndrome, a heart rhythm disorder.
Stewart said she obtained a copy of security footage showing the incident at school. Based on what she saw, she believes more could have been done to try to save her daughter.
“Everybody just failed to help at that moment, and that’s what she needed,” Stewart said.
The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press requested a copy of the video from the school division. In an email, a spokesperson stated that videos featuring students are exempt from the Virginia Freedom of Information Act under the section that exempts public bodies from mandatory disclosure of “scholastic records containing information concerning identifiable individuals.”
District spokeswoman Michelle Price said staff members responded quickly and tended to the student until paramedics arrived.
“They used their best judgment to ensure treatment at the time,” she said.
Price added that emergency protocols were followed and that school administrators and teachers are required to be CPR-certified as part of their licensure.
The family planned a candlelight vigil for Kaleiah late Friday afternoon at Riverview Farm Park in Newport News.