A family is suing their son's high school for wrongful death after his 16-year-old son committed suicide after being accused of being a racist.
Charlie Schnell's parents said he committed suicide in March 2022 due to a number of incidents related to his experience at Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland.
“Every day he wakes up and he's dead again,” said the boy's father, Scott Schnell. To WRC TV. “There's not a day that goes by that we don't think about him. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about him.”
The family claims in a lawsuit against the school that their son suffered a concussion during a sporting event and that the principal mocked him in front of other students.
He also said his classmates accused him of drawing racist pictures and that he was subject to threats of violence and extreme bullying. His family said he was disciplined in another case and was not allowed to defend himself. He was given the option to decline or be expelled, but he declined. That was 13 days before he committed suicide.
“Our biggest mistake was sending Charlie to Landon,” said his mother, Dawn Schnell.
The family says the father of their son's classmate committed suicide, but the school failed to provide adequate grief support. He also claims that students at the school threatened to cause gang violence, which his son struggled to cope with, but that teachers did not inform them of their concerns.
“There was fear all over the campus and the boys were not supported to deal with that fear,” Dawn Schnell said.
They are seeking a $75,000 payment and changes to school policy to prevent further student suicides.
The school issued a statement to WRC regarding the lawsuit, explaining all the policies it has put in place to help children cope with emotional stress.
“At Landon, we have no greater obligation than to support the well-being of our sons, and we take that role very seriously. We extend our deepest condolences to this family as they experience a devastating loss. , we continue to have our sympathies,” the statement said. of their son. And while we strongly disagree with the allegations and characterizations made in their lawsuit, we will move through this situation with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. ”
The Schnells said they want their children to know that there is help for those who are feeling hopeless and hopeless.
“If I could do one thing over in my life, it would be to not send my son there,” the father said of the school.
Here's local news about the incident:
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