U.S. News

School of Bullied Teen Has Pattern of Assaults: Report

AWFUL

The school is the same one attended by Adriana Kuch.

Adriana Kuch.
via YouTube/NBC New York

The mother of a student who attends the same school as Adriana Kuch, the 14-year-old teen who committed suicide after a video was posted online of a group of girls attacking her in a school hallway, has spoken out about the educational facility, claiming it has a pattern of on-campus assaults and social media bullies that are proving dangerous and deadly to its students. Kuch’s tragic death inspired mom Rachel O’Dea to speak up about Central Regional High School and its alleged toxic environment. She also filed a civil lawsuit against Central Regional School District on her daughter Olivia’s behalf in October 2022. “There’s no accountability, there’s no changes being made. This isn’t something new to them,” Rachel O’Dea said. O’Dea's daughter, Olivia, was the same age as Kuch when “she began receiving text messages from another student threatening to physically harm her,” according to the civil lawsuit seen by NJ Advance Media. The threats soon evolved to in-school harassment, the report says, and despite Olivia reporting the incidents, she says no action was ever taken. She was eventually physically assaulted in a high school hallway, “striking her head, neck and back,” the lawsuit alleges. It was filmed and posted on social media, “mocking her,” according to the complaint. “It’s a travesty that it’s continuing,” O’Dea said, hoping her daughter–who agreed to go public–will help others by sharing her story.

If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. You can also text or dial 988.

Read it at NJ Advance Media