Mom calls for change after son 'brutally beaten' at Wakefield High

Ashley Williams-Marble said her son, 16-year-old Wood Williams, has not been able to return to Wakefield High School since Thursday. That's when, she says, he was attacked by another student during gym class. Now, he has a black eye, a concussion and his nose is broken in five places.

"I feel like it was an extremely brutal beating. Completely uncalled for, unacceptable and very barbaric," she said.

Williams-Marble said the incident started when her son accidentally hit another student in the nose during a basketball game.

She says her son apologized, but the other boy started throwing punches.

"One more punch and my son could've easily had permanent brain damage," Williams-Marble said. "I was told that by two of the ER doctors."

Raleigh police said they have secured a juvenile petition of assault against the 15-year-old student. Because of his age, his name is not public record, and he will go through the juvenile court system.

Williams-Marble says the boy accused of attacking her son received a five-day suspension.

"He should be expelled for something like this," she said.

In a Facebook post that's now been shared hundreds of times, she calls for stricter punishment for students who engage in violence on campus. Plus, she's calling on parents to teach their kids responsibility and kindness.

"This can't go on anymore – the bullying, the violence, the hatred. We need to show these kids love and teach them to love," Williams-Marble said.

WRAL News attempted to get in touch with the other boy's family, but those attempts were not successful. School system officials said they cannot comment on individual student incidents.