NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Local mother Sandy Escalante has gone viral after posting a video on social media saying a death threat was made against her 11-year-old daughter, Melissa, by another student at a North Las Vegas middle school.
These types of threats continue to be a growing issue for the Clark County School District and a major concern for parents.
Watch the video here
Video courtesy of Sandy Escalante (@saandee via TikTok)
I've heard your concerns, so I'm digging into how CCSD handles these situations and what is being done to protect your child's safety.
To get the scope of the situation, I spoke with Sandy to learn more about the experience her daughter went through.
Abel: What were the exact words that she [Melissa] said that this other student said to her?
"She said that she was like, 'Mom, he came behind me and he whispered in my ear. He said, watch your back. I'm gonna follow you home and I'm gonna kill you,'", Sandy told me.
This incident happened on Thursday, Nov. 21, at J.D. Middle School in North Las Vegas. Sandy told me her daughter reported the threat to the principal, but Sandy wasn't certain enough was being done to protect Melissa.
So what did Sandy do? She told me she immediately raised the concern to the school's assistant principal Aggy Cruz and Clark County School District police officer Christopher Chin.
“Like in my head, I'm like, if it wasn't for this video, it would've just stayed to what Officer Christopher Chin told me...he's like, 'honestly, I don't think that this kid is gonna kill your daughter,'" Sandy said.
I reached out to the Clark County School District for answers.
While they did not go on camera, a district spokesperson told me federal law prevents CCSD from commenting on individual student matters, but they take all reports of bullying seriously and investigate each case thouroughly.
Sandy says less than 24 hours after reporting the threat, Lieutenant Bryan Zink with CCSDPD told her the student in question partially confessed, and authorities are now pursuing criminal charges.
Sandy says the school implemented a safety plan that included a no-contact order and switching the classmate out of Melissa's classes. But she questions whether it's enough.
“When I got to my daughter as she was walking and she was crying and terrified, and she's like, 'Mom, like, I thought I was gonna die,'" Sandy said.
I found out that Clark County School District Policy 5137 mandates immediate action when bullying is reported, including ensuring safety and completing an investigation within two school days with parent notification and documentation.
The district has also increased the use of restorative resolutions for behavioral issues including bullying, with 15,973 cases in 2023–2024, up from 8,898 the previous year. The school district says this shift focuses on mediation and relationship-building over traditional discipline.
“At the end of the day, it's my child, and I'm gonna do what I have to do to protect them. I can't tell the future, you know. So it is what it is. And I reacted the way I thought was suited best," Sandy said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing bullying, you can report it through Safe Voice at (833) 216-SAFE or online at SafeVoiceNV.org.
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