Philadelphia child actress seeks school transfer after death threat

PHILADELPHIA -- The mother of a young actress who allegedly received a death threat at school says officials are not doing enough to keep her daughter safe.

Samantha Coleman told CBS Philly that her daughter Shayne discovered the threat in June, scrawled on a bathroom wall.

"It said, 'I will kill Shayne Coleman' and underneath the threat said 'murder,'" according to Samantha Coleman. Shayne has appeared in dozens of commercials, television shows and movies, alongside actors including Sarah Silverman, Kevin Bacon and Richard Dreyfuss.

It's brought her attention, but the girl told CBS Philly she was surprised by the threat.

"I didn't know that anyone would want to kill me, or hurt me, because everyone is really my friend," Shayne said. "I'm scared to go back to school," Shayne admits.

Samantha Coleman said a request to have her daughter transferred was denied by school officials, who said there needs to be a direct assault in order to justify a transfer.

The Philadelphia Daily News reports that the alleged bully was identified by police, and Samantha Coleman says the girl has harassed Shayne before.

"She's stolen her markers and crayons. She'll kick the back of her chair. She's pushed her in the bathroom stall," Samantha Coleman says. "I thought it was just kid stuff up until the death threat."

The mother says she has now removed Shayne from the school district and will try to home school her daughter.