By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-03-13 15:14:57 | Updated at 2025-03-14 10:04:17
18 hours ago
The family of a track star who is facing charges of assault and battery after hitting her opponent in the head with a baton in a viral incident have vowed to fight her case.
Alaila Everett was seen during an indoor track championship in Virginia over the weekend as she seemed to strike Kaelen Tucker in the back of her head during the 4x200m relay event, leaving her with a concussion.
The Lynchburg Commonwealth's Attorney Office told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that they have issued a petition for one count of assault and battery against Everett.
In posts to his social media, Everett's father Genoa has been furiously defending his daughter and vowed to fight her potential criminal case.
Genoa said: 'We will continue to uplift and support our child to the upmost. We as a community will continue to fight for her.
'The truth will be exposed in due time and god's timing is always perfect. Unity for Alaila.'
Speaking with ABC13, Cost also added that they have been hit with court papers by the family of Kaelen.
According to him, the family are looking to take out a protective order against his own daughter.
Alaila Everett is seen here alongside her father Genoa Cost who has been furiously fighting for his daughter
In the clip, Everett can be seen pulling her right arm back and smacking the baton she was carrying across her opponent's head
He told the outlet: 'It doesn’t seem right that this would happen and now we have to go to a city three hours away that everyone hates our guts already.'
The family has also released another angle of the incident, to back up their claim that was accidental.
Everett herself also spoke with Good Morning America on Tuesday, saying: 'I would never do that on purpose. That's not in my character.'
She told the outlet that during the track meet her arm got stuck, leading her to unintentionally whack Tucker in the head.
'Her arm was literally hitting the baton - until she got a little ahead, and my arm got stuck like this,' Everett said while making the movement herself to physically show what she said happened.
Everett has also said she has been receiving death threats and racial slurs since it all went down.
In the newly released clip, the track stars were seen running from a new angle that showed them from behind.
Tucker, dressed in a yellow shirt and black shorts, was seen running alongside Everett.
Kaelen, pictured at a meet in January, says Everett has not apologized for her actions
Tucker (on right) is seen inching a bit ahead of Everett (on left) just before the moment occurred
Just as she passed her slightly, Everett, dressed in all black, swung the arm she was holding the baton in and hit Tucker in the head with it.
Tucker then dropped her baton, stumbled off the track, grabbed her head and kneeled on the ground.
'I just felt a bang on my head and fell off the track immediately,' Tucker told WVEC-TV.
A lip reader exclusively revealed to DailyMail.com what Everett said to Tucker at that moment.
Expert Nicola Hickling, who is the founder of LipReader, said Everett shouted 'get off' and 'hey oh' as she hit Tucker.
Hickling reviewed multiple versions of the footage in coming to her conclusion, while also adding that the quality of the footage made it difficult to be completely certain.
Tucker said she has not received an apology for Everett's actions that day. Afterwards, Tucker said: 'I still can't believe it, I'm in shock...I'm still trying to take it all in, I can't believe it happened.'
Tucker went to pass an opposing runner when she was struck on the head, causing her to fall
She added: 'Why did you do it, and why haven't you apologized?'
But, according to Everett, she has tried to contact Tucker on social media, only to discover she has been blocked.
I.C. Norcom High School was disqualified following the incident for 'contact interference' - or physically interfering with another runner's actions.
Tucker's mother, Tamarro, initially told WSET that no one from Norcom came over to check on her daughter or apologize.
Tucker's parents have since told Abc News that Genoa called them to say he was sorry. The athletic director at I.C. Norcom High School also issued an apology.
The Virginia High School League told the outlet that the organization 'thoroughly' investigates 'every instance like this.'
'The VHSL membership has always made it a priority to provide student-athletes with a safe environment for competition,' they added.
