PELHAM, Ga. (WALB) - A Mitchell County mother is demanding answers after her son suffered severe leg injuries during an activity day basketball game at Pelham Middle School on Feb. 6. The mother, Felisha Davenport, said the school’s response to the emergency was inadequate.

The Davenport said her son, Jiquez, went up for a dunk during the game and fell awkwardly, breaking his leg from the knee to the ankle.

According to Jiquez, he went up for a dunk during activity day at Pelham Middle School when another player kicked him in the back of his leg, causing it to snap.

“He kicked me in the back of my leg, and my leg snapped. I got up and was screaming. I crawled to my coach and told my coach my leg broke, and I need a wheelchair,” Jiquez said.

His mother said the immediate response from school staff was concerning.

“You could look at his leg and see that it was broken. The nurse never came, nobody came to get him,” Davenport said.

Her son was later hospitalized and underwent surgery. He is currently bedridden and recovering. Doctors are still determining the extent of long-term damage, but his mother said he may never be able to play sports again.

Davenport said her son, who is autistic, is now struggling emotionally in addition to physically.

“He’s depressed. He can’t move around. He’s always been active,” she said. “He’s been in bed for two weeks. He can’t move at all or walk at all. He’s stressed out about it.”

Jiquez added, “I like to move around and follow my mom around, and now that I can’t do that, it makes me mad because I don’t like staying in bed a lot.”

The mother’s biggest concern is what she says happened after the fall.

She claims school staff did not call 911, despite the severity of the injury. Instead, she said she received a phone call informing her that her son was hurt.

“So, they didn’t call 911, no paramedics or anything?” WALB asked.

“No, they only called my mom,” Jiquez responded.

When asked how that made him feel, Jiquez said, “I’m not even going to lie, that just made me feel like they didn’t even care for real. I was on the ground for like 25-30 minutes.”

Davenport echoed her son’s frustration, “They didn’t do right. They could have at least called 911.”

The family noted that an ambulance service is located directly across the street from the school.

“They never called the ambulance,” she said. “No medical attention after he fell.”

According to the mother, her son remained on the gym floor for approximately 30 minutes without a wheelchair, ambulance or evaluation from a school nurse. She also alleges the basketball game continued while he was still on the floor.

Mitchell County Schools Superintendent officials said they plan to release a statement regarding the incident. No official statement has been released as of 5:35 p.m. Wednesday.

It is currently unclear what emergency protocols were followed that day or whether district policy requires staff to call 911 in cases of severe injury.

Jiquez remains at home recovering after surgery. His mother says the focus now is on healing, but she said she wants accountability moving forward.

“I just want to know why they didn’t call 911,” she said.

The Superintendent of Pelham City Schools Charter System, Laron Smith, released the following statement.

“Pelham City Schools is committed to educational excellence. The only thing more important than learning is school safety. We are dedicated to maintaining a safe learning environment for all stakeholders. When accidents happen, we follow the protocol outlined in our District Crisis Preparedness Plan. The incident that happened on February 6, 2026, was no exception. The response was quick and appropriate. The safety of our students is and will always be a top priority for this district. As superintendent, I will always work to be transparent and honest about situations that occur. The trust of this community is vital to our ability to educate every child that walks through our doors.”

Smith declined to provide specific details about the protocol followed that day, saying only that it meets state standards and that staff responded in a timely manner.

Despite the superintendent’s statement, Davenport remains unsatisfied with the school’s response.

“I feel like it was not the right protocol made. They didn’t do right,” she said.

The family continues to demand accountability and answers from the school district. For now, Jiquez focuses on his recovery—hoping to regain mobility and piece his life back together.

This is a developing story. We will update this article as soon as the district releases its official statement.

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