A family in Utah recently filed a wrongful death suit against North Sanpete School District following their son’s suicide. The lawsuit alleges that school officials failed to prevent and stop years of bullying, and that such failure caused the Utah family’s son to commit suicide.
According to the suit, the deceased, Jacob Hancock, began to experience harassment during middle school. Specifically, students addressed Jacob with anti-gay slurs, beat him up and, on one occasion, persuaded a special needs student to touch Jacob’s genitals and urinate on Jacob’s towel. When the Hancock’s complained, the school district offered to buy Jacob a new towel and nothing more. The harassment continued when Jacob got to high school, where one student threatened Jacob’s life. When Jacob notified the police, the suit alleges that an officer of the school district told Jacob he would make his “life hell” if he kept calling the police. As a member of the football team, Jacob’s teammates lit his pants on fire on one occasion, sending Jacob to the emergency room. Further, the head coach told Jacob he looked like a pedophile in front of the team. The suit alleges that the harassment and the school district’s failure to prevent or stop it caused Jacob’s suicide.
If you or someone you know has suffered from harassment, contact the attorneys at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211.