North Carolina parent claims lack of supervision left daughter with special needs with serious injuries

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. -- An 8-year-old girl with special needs is afraid to go back to school after sustaining a serious injury during recess.

Diana Darden bravely recounted hanging from a fence during recess at Sherwood Park Elementary in North Carolina's Cumberland County on Wednesday.

"There was a really thick mark on my neck. I know that for sure," said Darden. "I was crying because my throat hurt."

The fence's wire caught the child's necklace until it broke.

"She had a blood ring from like the back of her neck all the way to the front of her neck," said Golden Darden, Diana's mom. "What else could happen? I have to wonder at what point would this have went to if the necklace didn't break."

Cumberland County Schools released the following statement to our sister station ABC11:

We take this matter very seriously. Our top priority is providing a safe learning environment for students and staff. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement officials as they investigate this situation. While the investigation is underway, the staff member involved is not working at that site.