Update: We Are Still Fighting for Enzo – and We Need Your Help

Dear friends, family, and everyone who has supported us,

We want to share an important update about Enzo’s case and why your continued support means so much to our family.

Over the past months, we have been fighting to protect our son, Enzo Miguel Almeida Guimarães, after he was physically assaulted at school on April 8, 2025, while attending Robert E. Aylor Middle School in Frederick County, Virginia.

The assault caused serious injury, including facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy) that required medical treatment.

What has been even more heartbreaking is what happened after the assault.

Instead of protecting our child and taking appropriate action, school officials minimized the incident and failed to pursue proper reporting or accountability.

Through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, we obtained video recordings confirming that the assault occurred and that school officials were aware of the incident.

We also obtained video evidence showing something deeply disturbing:

Enzo was removed from his classroom and made to sit on the floor in a school hallway to complete his schoolwork.

For a child with documented disabilities and emotional vulnerabilities, this experience was humiliating and deeply distressing.

Enzo has been diagnosed with ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, and a history of suicidal ideation. Despite this, the school twice denied him an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and instead provided only a Section 504 Plan, which was not properly implemented and did not meet his needs.

After we began reporting the assault and asking questions, Enzo experienced additional disciplinary actions that appeared retaliatory.

These actions caused him to miss instructional time and fall behind academically, adding to the emotional stress he was already facing.

Because of these events, we had no choice but to pursue justice.

Our family has now filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia seeking accountability and protection for our son.

But the reality is that we are fighting a large system with significant legal resources, and we are doing everything we can to keep this case moving forward.

At the same time, we have also formally requested a criminal investigation into the assault and the failure to protect our child.

This journey has been emotionally, financially, and mentally exhausting for our family. But we cannot give up. We are fighting not only for Enzo, but for every child who deserves to be safe and respected at school.

Your support is helping us:

• pursue legal action

• obtain expert consultations and case preparation

• cover medical and legal expenses

• continue advocating for Enzo’s rights and safety

Every share, every message, and every donation reminds us that we are not alone in this fight.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with Enzo.

With gratitude,

Deise Ellston & Family