Lawsuit claims school did nothing to stop bullying that led to suicide

The parents of a Bronx ninth-grader who took her own life in February are filing a lawsuit that claims the school didn’t do enough to help their bullied daughter.

News 12 Staff

May 29, 2019, 9:23 PM

Updated 1,803 days ago

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The parents of a Bronx ninth-grader who took her own life in February are filing a lawsuit that claims the school didn’t do enough to help their bullied daughter.
According to the claims in the filing, Mya Vizcarrondo-Rios' endured five months of alleged sexual assault, body shaming and bullying at Harry S. Truman High School – all of which were reported multiple times.
She jumped 34 stories to her death on Feb. 28.
The lawsuit says the school’s administrators failed to listen to Vizcarrondo-Rios' cries for help. The parents say the guidance counselor and Principal Keri Alfano knew about the bullying but didn’t take any action to prevent it.
It also includes a claim that Vizcarrondo-Rios was forced to perform oral sex on at least two boys at the school.
News 12 was told by the city Department of Education that the girl’s death was a tragic loss and that they will continue to investigate and invest in anti-bullying initiatives.


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