NJ family of a student who committed suicide after bullying sues school officials who created 'culture of violence'

The extreme bullying that Adriana Kuch experienced in a New Jersey school that ultimately led to her suicide did not stop at the front doors of the school. Rather, it even continued at home, according to her family's allegations in a lawsuit.

Kuch was 14 years old and a student in the Central Regional School District when she took her own life on February 3, 2023. The video of her assault that went viral online had been shared just two days before, according to Fox News Digital.

However, the fallout of the incident did not stop there. During Adriana's funeral on February 10, Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides, who has since resigned from his post, reportedly made "defamatory" remarks about Adriana's father to journalists.

Parlapanides claimed that Adriana's father had been having an affair that ultimately led to her mother's suicide. And then he shared Adriana's mental health struggles to the press, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit went on to claim that instead of ensuring the safety of Adriana from "known" bullies, the New Jersey district officials' careless actions were "willful, wanton, reckless, intentional, malicious and in utter disregard" for the Kuch family.

Adriana was attacked by a group of students in a school hallway, and at least one student recorded the tragic incident and uploaded it to social media. The footage soon went viral after it was posted. The student attackers punched Adriana in the face, hit her with a water bottle, pulled her hair, and kicked her while other students laughed and encouraged the bullies.

Adriana suffered bruising, swelling, cuts, and lacerations to her head, legs, and body, according to the lawsuit. The students involved in the incident were charged with third-degree felony assault, according to a previous report from Blaze News.

While the physical injuries were serious, it appears Adriana suffered shame and mockery after the footage went viral. Those feelings lingered around for a couple of days until her father found that she had hanged herself in her bedroom overnight on February 3.

William Krais, the Kuch family's lawyer, said that the family suffered "so much heartache and tragedy," adding that the "gross negligence of school officials, followed by the superintendent’s cruel, insensitive, and defamatory remarks only compound their pain."

"It is the defendants’ job to provide a safe and secure environment for the students at Central Regional High School," Krais added.

"They catastrophically failed Adriana, leading to the emotional distress, humiliation and embarrassment that ultimately caused her to take her own life. It’s high time the school and those involved are held accountable for their actions."

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