Family of bullied New Jersey teen who died by suicide suing school district, others
BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Thursday will mark one year since a New Jersey teenager died by suicide after her family says she was bullied in school and online. On Monday, her family announced a lawsuit against the Central Regional School District in New Jersey's Ocean County.
Adriana Kuch was 14-years-old when she died in February 2023. Her father, Michael Kuch, told CBS New York at the time that she took her own life after a disturbing video was posted to social media showing her being attacked as she walked with her boyfriend in the hallway of Central Regional High School in Berkeley Township.
"They just kept at it, after they jumped her. They just kept sending her videos, and then they would take like screen shots of the videos because the video kept getting taken down," Kuch said at the time.
Kuch family attorney Bill Krais Monday announced that Michael Kuch and his wife are filing a civil lawsuit against the school district, its former superintendent, Dr. Triantafillos Parlapanides, and several other officials. Parlapanides resigned just days after Adriana's suicide.
Krais alleges the district knew about what he called a "culture of violence" at the high school, but failed to protect the teenager.
"They knew that fights were recorded, and they knew fights, the recordings, were posted to social media, turning physical attacks into cyberattacks, yet they did very little to stop it," Krais said.
Michael Kuch told CBS New York last year that police should have been called immediately, because students who allegedly struck his daughter in the face with a 20-ounce water bottle had bullied her before.
Krais alleged Parlapanides also defamed the Kuch family by fabricating stories about their personal lives that invaded their privacy.
"They (the stories) were outrageous, they were insensitive, they were callous, and they were false," Krais said.
A spokesperson for Central Regional School District told CBS New York the district has not been served with a copy of the complaint and hasn't had an opportunity to review it, but that the school board is limited in what it can say publicly because the matter involves litigation.
Krais said the Kuch family is suing to ensure what happened to them doesn't happen to another family.
"A moment doesn't go by that he (Michael Kuch) doesn't think about his daughter. He wakes up in the middle of the night screaming her name," Krais said.
READ MORE: Juvenile faces additional charge in bullying attack on New Jersey student Adriana Kuch
Krais said the Kuch family is engaged with both local and national organizations that seek to eliminate bullying.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.
For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), by texting "HelpLine" to 62640, or by emailing helpline@nami.org.