Horry County student choked out classmate, resulting in broken jaw, suit claims
An Horry County student put a classmate in a chokehold, causing him to pass out and break his jaw, a lawsuit fled Monday claims.
The lawsuit was filed against the Horry County Schools district by the guardian of the unnamed victim, who is referred to as B.W. The incident took place on Dec. 4, 2023, during a science class at Conway Middle School, located at 1104 Elm St., but nobody stepped in to break up the altercation, the lawsuit claims.
Horry County Schools spokesperson Lisa Bourcier said in an email to The Sun News that the district does not comment on matters related to pending litigation.
At the time of the incident, B.W. was an eighth grade student at the middle school, according to the lawsuit. While he was participating in class, a female student came up behind him and made an “off-color comment,” the lawsuit says. Then, without any response or provocation from B.W., the student allegedly put her forearm around B.W.’s neck and lifted him from his seat at the lab table.
Once B.W. lost consciousness, the other student let go of him, and he hit his chin on the floor, the lawsuit claims. When he woke, his mouth was in pain, and he was “covered in blood” from a “large gash in his chin,” the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit claims that despite B.W.’s pain, nobody at the school called emergency services.
B.W.’s guardian took him to the emergency room, where CT scans revealed he had a fractured jaw and several displaced teeth, the lawsuit claims.
On Dec. 5, 2023, B.W. had surgery on his jaw, and his jaw was wired shut for the healing process, according to the lawsuit. There was a brace in his jaw for several months, during which the 13-year-old lost 18 pounds, the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit claims the boy incurred more than $45,000 in medical bills and continues to suffer headaches and anxiety from the injury.
B.W.’s guardian is suing for damages, and asserts in the lawsuit that the school failed to provide a safe learning environment and medical care to their student.
This story was originally published November 11, 2025 at 12:51 PM.
