Tragically, a 14-year-old New Jersey high school student took her own life after being viciously assaulted and then humiliated by the posting of that footage online. According to her father, this suicide was due to years of constant bullying.
Adriana Kuch, a student at Central Regional High School in Berkeley Township, was discovered deceased two days following the horrific Feb. 1 attack, according to police reports.
An alarming video surfaced online, depicting several students assaulting a young teenage girl as she walked with her partner in their school hallway, according to Patch. The attack consisted of the assailants hitting her with water bottles and other objects—a heinous act of violence that should be condemned by all who view it.
In a 20-second clip captured by the local news station, an individual is heard shouting:“That’s what you get, you stupid a— b—!”
According to ABC 7, the attackers can be seen viciously beating Adriana, punching and kicking her while pulling out strands of her hair. As if that weren’t disheartening enough, they even had the audacity to record it all and laugh at their heinous acts.
“They think it’s fun to attack people and take videos and post them,” Adriana’s dad, Michael Kuch, told ABC 7.
“Getting hit with a water bottle didn’t hurt Adriana, what hurt her was the embarrassment and humiliation, they just kept coming at her,” he stated.
“My daughter actually blacks out and they don’t call an ambulance, they take her to the nurse’s office,” Kuch told ABC 7, adding Adriana had “never been in a fight before, she’s 98 pounds, 5-2 and she loves everybody.”
News 12 New Jersey has reported that three young ladies have been accused of third-degree felony assault and another faces a charge for disorderly conduct.
Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides made it known to the media that police were not summoned after the incident, in accordance with school regulations.
“I don’t believe a police report was done. We normally just suspend. If a parent wants to press charges, they can with the police,” he stated. “We’re not going to double-whammy a kid where they are suspended and then police charges as well.”
Kuch angrily responded to the school’s reaction, telling NBC New York: “A kid is assaulted with a weapon and their policy is not to call the police or file a report.”
Kuch shared pictures of the attack on Facebook.
“These 4 girls planned and executed an attack. If you watch the videos I have, they are laughing while talking about what they are going to do,” he wrote, and continued “had to take my daughter covered in blood to the local police station.”
“If the school contacted the police and filed a report and conducted an investigation, these videos could have been discovered immediately,” he added.
“I want the entire world to know what these animals did to my daughter. I will not sleep until their family has to watch them stand in front of a judge and plead guilty,” he continued.
Kuch implored the Ocean County school district to take responsibility for Adriana’s long-term experience of bullying and harassment.
This past Wednesday, a massive demonstration of over 200 Central Regional High students occurred in response to an incident that had transpired. The students felt their school neglected and overlooked the long-standing issue of bullying, so they decided to use protest as a way for their voices to be heard. ABC 7 reported on this powerful event orchestrated by the student body – one which aimed at sparking action from officials through collective outcry.
“Adriana took her own life because nobody at the school was able to help or care or step in,” sophomore Roman Valez said. “I would actually like to teach the people who bully what they’re actually doing and how it affects.”
In a statement on its website, the district acknowledged Adriana’s death and offered crisis counselors; however, according to some students, they were not personally informed about this.
“Nobody was supposed to know Adriana killed herself,” student Lance Jones said.
Not only Adriana, but other students and parents have reported being the victims of bullying. Last April, it was reported that a student in the school cafeteria suffered such severe injuries from an attack that she could no longer defend herself; her mother informed Patch about this incident.
Reports from numerous individuals have been brought forth, alleging that either they or people close to them endured bullying and no action was taken by the district.
To inform their constituents, the district took to its website to share a statement that read, in part: “we fully understand that students, staff, and the community are hurting for the loss of such a young lady with a bright future.”
Before the students’ rally began, a moment of silence was held outside in solemn commemoration.
“To ensure the health, safety, and well-being for all students, there will not be any rallies in the future without prior administration approval otherwise action will be taken in accordance with policy,” it reads, adding: “It is time to start the healing process and we want to send our thoughts and prayers to the family.”
Adriana’s obituary, which can be found online, states that the Toledo native “adored all animals, she helped children with special needs, she loved jogging with her brothers and was a true nature lover. Adriana also enjoyed her walks in the woods, skateboarding, and riding dune buggies and dirt bikes.”
On Friday, a wake will be held for her at the Mastapeter Memorial Home in Bayville. Her funeral service shall remain intimate and private.
Parlapanides staunchly supported the school’s reactions to the bullying incident.
“If a situation warrants it we’ll call (police), but in this case, the students were suspended immediately,” he said, adding the students involved face criminal charges.
“We address every incident of bullying, but some of it is on the internet and we aren’t privy to that,” he stated. “We’re not the internet police but we don’t put our heads in the sand.”
