Mum sues school for sending daughter home before she killed herself
A family is suing their daughter's former school and principal, asking for $25million in damages, after learning that he sent her teen home alone upon learning that she was high on cannabis. Once home, the 14-year-old killed herself.
Maisoon Renick came home a few hours after her daughter tragically committed suicide - and about a half hour later, the teen's school principal and district superintendent had "shown up" at the family's home under the guise of extending condolences.
Then they informed her that her daughter was under the influence of drugs and they had sent her home for violating the school's behavioural code, the mother alleges.
Mum sues school and its principal for $25million after teen daughter Selena suicide when she was sent home from school (CBS Detriot)Selena Perez died by suicide in May after being sent home by Principal Aaron Mollett and District Superintendent Tyrone Weeks for misbehaviour and "tossing bottles." She was a freshman at Annapolis High School in Dearborn Heights when this occurred. According to Renick, the administrators had a responsibility to notify her family and they applied the incorrect punishment, which resulted in her daughter's death.
Renick says that the school's code of conduct calls for a 10-day suspension and parental notification, which Mollett and Weeks failed to enforce. They are being sued for wrongful death and gross negligence. Annapolis High School and Dearborn Heights School District No. 7 are also named in the court filings.
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The school's principal, Aaron Mollett was placed on leave after it turned out he sent a child home alone under the influence of narcotics (CBS Detriot)"Mollett had personal, first-hand knowledge that Selena was under the influence of marijuana in the hours before Selena's death," the lawsuit claimed. While Mollett had called Selena's mother to let her know that she was "misbehaving" they failed to mention that she was under the influence.
"Mollett allowed Selena to leave school premises without seeking medical treatment, without advising her parental guardians of the actual circumstances surrounding her altered mental and physical state, or reporting anything to the local authorities," the lawsuit further alleges.
The mother also raised the question of how the administrators knew that her daughter had died, when she hadn't made any public announcements or notified the school yet.
"That the mere arrival of defendants Mollett and Weeks at Selena's residence, in such close temporal proximity to Selena's death, raises genuine concerns on how they developed the knowledge of Selena's passing, who they obtained that information from, the content and substance of their electronic communications with Selena and the nature of their relationship with Selena."
The circumstances around Selena's death are still under investigation by the local police department, which confiscated a device that Selena used to contact the school administrators. It is unclear what information or messages is on that device.
The parents came home a few hours later to find their daughter had committed suicide - and the school's principal and superintendent showed up a half hour later (CBS Detriot)Mollett was placed on leave shortly after Selena's death, but managed to gain the support of students and teachers who demonstrated on his behalf, asking the school board to reinstate him. He was allowed to finish out the year, and then was placed back on leave.
Weeks was removed from his position in May as he is now the subject of three Title XI complaints, a state civil rights complaint, several union grievances and unfair labor practice charges, according to the Michigan Education Association.
"Mollett and Weeks’ affirmative actions created and exacerbated a state-created danger that substantially increased the special danger of harm to Selena, and in doing so, knowingly and recklessly disregarded the substantial risk for danger that Selena posed to herself," the lawsuit says.
Help and support is available right now if you need it. You do not have to struggle with difficult feelings alone. To reach the national helpline, dial Samaritans at 116 123 or Childline at 0800 1111 if you're under 19.
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