Commercial Vehicle Accident Injury Attorneys in Lumberton, NC

Kadaysia Locklear, 12,was involved in an assault at Lumberton Junior High School during which her teeth were partially knocked out in Robeson County (Credit: Lakisha Locklear/WPDE)

LUMBERTON, S.C. (WPDE) — Lakisha Locklear said she wants the Robeson County School District to take another look at how they handle serious incidents in schools when students are hurt.

Lakisha Locklear's 12-year-old daughter, Kadaysia Locklear, was recently involved in an assault at Lumberton Junior High School during which her teeth were partially knocked out.

“Kadaysia was on the floor and blood was everywhere. She was covered from her face down with blood. I pulled the clothing down from her to see her. And that’s when I looked at her mouth, and I noticed my child’s teeth were out of her mouth. And the only thing they were holding them there were the braces. When looking at her, it was a feeling that I can’t even describe," said Locklear.

Lakisha Locklear said her daughter spent more than 12 hours in the emergency room before being sent to a trauma hospital because of her teeth.

Kadaysia Locklear said she and the boy were playing around, as they always do, when he suddenly became angry.

"He pushed me down on the table. I was embarrassed. So, I played it off like nothing happened. And that's when I got my water bottle. And I said I will literally put this water bottle out and I will squirt it on you. That's when he took the water bottle out of my hand. He took some of the water that was out. And he was like do something now. And that's when I took the rest of the water and I put it on him. And that's when he got angry and started hitting me," Kadaysia Locklear said.

Lakisha Locklear said her daughter is lucky that doctors were able to save her teeth.

She's upset that school administrators didn't contact her about her daughter being assaulted and that the incident happened in a classroom in the presence of a teacher.

"I’m really angry with how this was handled. That could’ve been prevented. Anything. I don’t care. If someone is picking and playing, do your job. Take control of your classroom. That could’ve been prevented. It should’ve never been with a child is able to beat on another child like that," said Lakisha Locklear.

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ABC 15 reached out to the Robeson County School District with Locklear's concerns, but administrators referred us to the Robeson County Sheriff's Office for a comment on the matter.

Deputies said they've charged the 14-year-old with felony assault inflicting serious injury.

Officers said he remains in the custody of his parents.

Deputies said they also charged Kadaysia Locklear with misdemeanor simple assault for her role in the incident.

Lakisha Locklear said she plans to fight the charge against her daughter because she's a victim. She also wants the Robeson County School District to take another look at how they handle serious incidents in schools when students are hurt.

"I can not let something like this go. Because our kids are sent to school to be safe. They have all the due diligence. When you take and you do that job. You sign up to protect and serve what you're doing for our kids. You called the laws. Why didn't you call me," said Lakisha Locklear.

The North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention assisted the Robeson County Sheriff's Office in the investigation.

Miami-based Cold-Link Logistics, a cold-storage management firm, plans to invest $85.5 million and create 123 jobs in Lumberton, according to a release from the state.

Lumberton City Council and Robeson County commissioners will be asked to approve a combined total of about $7 million in tax refunds for the project, according to local officials.

Cold-Link Logistics is a full-service third-party logistics cold-storage company. Its cold-storage locations provide customized product handling, storage, order picking and load preparation, blast freezing, and other logistics services. Cold-Link plans to build a 233,000-square-foot temperature-controlled building on 55 acres in the Southeast Crossroads Industrial Park in Lumberton. The facility will serve local and regional poultry businesses, as well as other food companies, manufacturers and distributors.

Cold-Link, founded in 2020 is a subsidiary of family-owned Mandich Group, based in neighboring Hollywood, Florida.

“We are excited to expand our footprint into the great state of North Carolina,” said Michael Mandich, managing partner of Cold-Link Logistics. “There’s a strong interest among the protein and other food manufacturers in this area to work with a family-owned and operated company like Cold-Link that can offer first-class, value-added services. The Robeson County Community has welcomed us with open arms.”

Cold-Link also has nine similar facilities in Auburndale and Orlando, Florida, Holland, Michigan, Providence, Rhode Island, and Sioux City, Iowa. The Mandich Group was started by brothers Michael, Mark and Nick Mandich in 2016 and it has more than 275 employees.

New positions for the company will include managers, supervisors, warehouse staff and shipping and receiving personnel. The jobs will have average annual salary of $50,128, which exceeds the Robeson County average of $42,964. These new jobs could create a potential annual payroll impact of more than $6.1 million, according to the state.

Recruiting Cold-Link to Lumberton was a concerted effort, says Channing Jones, the former executive director of Robeson County’s Office of Economic Development. Jones is now CEO of Lumbee Holdings, the for-profit arm of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

“Recruiting Cold-Link Logistics was a direct and targeted economic development effort to recruit additional cold storage capability to our region that spanned over 16 months,” Jones says. “This is one of my proudest recruitment efforts due to the targeted industry approach, the impact the facility will have on our existing industries and the large capital investment by Cold-Link Logistics.”

A performance-based grant of $375,000 from the One North Carolina Fund has been awarded to the business. Companies must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment.

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North Carolina officials announced that Florida-based Cold-Link Logistics will build an $85.5 million cold storage warehouse along Interstate 95 to handle local and regional poultry and other food products.

The centerpiece of the project is construction of a 233,000-square-foot, temperature-controlled building on 55 acres in the new Southeast Crossroads Industrial Park in Lumberton, N.C. The facility will handle products from poultry businesses and food companies, manufacturers and distributors.

Cold-Link Logistics, a cold storage management firm, is a unit of the family-owned Mandich Group, which is based in Hollywood, Fla., and was formed by brothers Michael, Mark and Nick Mandich.

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Stein

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein welcomed the third-party logistics company to Robeson County, which along with its north-south access to I-95 also boasts an I-74 east-west connection.

“North Carolina is consistently ranked as a top state to do business thanks to our skilled workforce, robust transportation infrastructure and friendly business climate,” Stein said.

Cold-Link President and Managing Partner Michael Mandich added, “We have listened to our customers and their need for additional cold storage warehousing in the Southeast regions surrounding Lumberton. The Robeson County community has welcomed us with open arms. After looking into many areas to expand our business, we knew this was the right place to locate our 10th facility.”

State Sen. Danny Earl Britt Jr. noted, “Being situated along the I-95 corridor, Lumberton is a great location for warehouse and distribution companies looking to invest in growing markets with a solid pipeline of talent.”

The venture is expected to add 123 jobs to the region at an average annual salary of $50,128, higher than Robeson County’s median $42,964 salary. These jobs are expected to have a $6.1 million annual payroll impact on the local economy, according to the governor’s office.

The site is slated to open during the second quarter of 2026 in a multiphase effort. A 223,000-square-foot facility is set to open in the first phase, with the potential to expand the site to a maximum of 750,000 square feet. The warehouse could have up to 30,000 pallet positions and 792 blast-freezing positions, along with boxing, tempering and cross-docking with 70-foot docks, Mandich said.

NEWS: Cold-Link Logistics will build a new warehouse in NC, investing $85.5 million in #LumbertonNC and creating 123 new jobs in #RobesonCounty. More: https://t.co/EbXFydkBN2#EconDev #FoodandBev pic.twitter.com/AKTB1JbxlD — N.C. Commerce (@NCCommerce) February 5, 2025

The project received a $375,000 performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund, a state financial economic investment incentive for new companies that create jobs. Per the governor’s office, “Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require matching participation from local governments, and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.”

“North Carolina’s supply chain for food and agriculture has always been an economic driver for our state,” North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley said. “Our agricultural legacy and commitment to innovation will help companies like Cold-Link establish its operations and increase its footprint in the Southeastern United States.”

State backers of the venture include the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the state General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, and officials from the city and county.

North Carolina won the project over South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia.

“With Cold-Link Logistics locating to Robeson County, we can look forward to more job opportunities, economic growth and a brighter future for local families,” said Pauline Campbell, chair of the Robeson County Board of Commission. “This investment in our county not only expands employment but also facilitates economic growth, providing stability and prosperity for our county and region.”