Woman Sues York School, Law Officials in Son's Suicide

By Amber Lester Saturday, August 07, 2010

A York County mother is seeking $10 million from school and law officials for the wrongful death of her son, who committed suicide in May.

Alise Williams’ 16-year-old son, Christian Taylor, hanged himself at home on May 31. Williams has alleged her son, a freshman at Grafton High School, was bullied at school for six months after transferring from Texas in December. Williams was named administrator of her son’s estate on June 29.

The lawsuit lists Grafton Principal Paul Hopkins, Assistant Principal Craig Reed, Assistant Principal Karen Fahringer, counselor Joseph Erfe and school security officer Deputy Ralph Hood as defendants. The court papers, filed July 30 by Williams’ lawyer, Joseph Stellute, say school officials did not protect Taylor from bullies, despite Williams’ requests for intervention.

York County Schools Spokesperson Betsy Overkamp-Smith was not available for comment.

The lawsuit says a male student aggressively and habitually harassed, verbally abused, insulted, threatened and bullied Taylor. It also says the student, who is not named in the suit, presented an unreasonable risk to the security and well-being of other students.

The suit outlines the events leading up to Taylor’s death. During the first week of May, Taylor told Erfe about the teasing. On May 10 and 11, the student again harassed Taylor in the cafeteria and hallways.  Following those incidents, Williams requested a meeting with the school officials named as defendants. At that time, she told them the male student had told her son, “You need to just go ahead and kill yourself and get it over with.”

Williams met again with school officials on May 13, but she says the student continued to harass her son. On May 31, he committed suicide. The suit says the defendants “had a duty to use reasonable care to ensure the safety and well-being of all Grafton High School students, including the decedent.”

The suit states the State Board of Education and York County School Board both require the prevention of all verbal abuse. According to the York County student manual, offenses can include: the use of obscenity, verbal abuse, threats and bullying. By failing to supervise students in the cafeterias and hallways, the defendants are culpable for Taylor’s anguish, the suit says.

The damages of $10 million would be for medical and hospital expenses for the injuries that caused Taylor’s death; funeral expenses; financial losses suffered by the beneficiaries; and mental anguish and loss suffered by the beneficiaries. The suit names nine beneficiaries: Williams; William Taylor, father; Andrew Juntti, stepfather; Greg Juntti, brother; Tristan Taylor, brother; William Juntti, brother; Faith Juntti, sister; Hunter Burrell, brother; and Caitlyn Juntti, sister.

The defendants have 21 days to respond to the charges in writing to the Circuit Court clerk’s office. If they do not respond, the charges will be taken as admitted and the court can enter an order, judgment or decree. Williams requested a trial by jury.