Four students have been charged with an alleged hallway attack on a 14-year-old classmate who died by suicide days later, authorities say.
Adriana Kuch was found dead in her home in Bayville, New Jersey, on February 3, two days after she was allegedly beaten by a group of students at Central Regional High School in Berkeley Township.
Adriana’s father, Michael Kuch, wrote in Facebook posts and interviews that a video of the attack was posted online to “make fun of her”.
On Friday, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced criminal charges against four female students at the school.
One person was charged with aggravated assault, two others with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, and a fourth with harassment, Mr. Billhimer said.
The names of the students have not been released. They had already been suspended by the district school.
“Each youth and their guardian has been served with a copy of their complaint and they are released pending a future court appearance,” said Mr. Billhimer.
Mr Kuch is furious at how the school handled the attack on his daughter.
He told NBC New York that the school did not notify the police even though Adriana was left hidden and bruised, and was subsequently blacked out.
Mr. Kuch told the network that one of the girls who attacked his daughter had been threatening her online for several years, and that he believes the bullying drove his daughter to commit suicide.
He filed a police complaint on the night of the attack, and told NBC New York that if the school had acted sooner to take down the viral video, his daughter might still be alive.
Now, he wants the video to be seen widely.
“I want the whole world to know what these animals did to my daughter,” said Mr Kuch. NBC New York.
In the 30-second clip, freshman Adriana is seen walking down the hall with her boyfriend when a student suddenly starts hitting her in the face with a water bottle.
As she falls to the ground, the student continues to poke her in the head and pull her hair. Cheers can be heard from other students.
After about 30 seconds, two school workers intervene. The school nurse treated her for the injuries.
District superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides said in a statement to NJ.com the decision not to report the attack to the police was in line with school policy.
“The whole area is saddened by the loss of such a young child. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family,” Mr. Parlapanides told the news site in a statement.
Mr Kuch later accused the school of lying to him about the severity of the attack.
On Wednesday, over 200 students walked out of the school to protest the handling of the bullying allegations, News 12 New Jersey reported.
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, young people who report engaging in bullying behavior and being bullied themselves are at a higher risk of suicide.
He added that suicidal behavior is “complex” and is not usually the result of any source of trauma or stress.
If you are feeling distressed and isolated, or if you are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offer support; you can speak to someone for free by phone, confidentially, on 116 123 (UK and Republic of Ireland), email jo@samaritans.orgor visit the Samaritans website for details of your nearest branch.
If you are located in the US, and you or someone you know is currently in need of mental health help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) . The Helpline is a free confidential crisis hotline available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.