East Rochester schools sued after 12-year-old's suicide
More than a year after 12-year-old Kennis Cady died by suicide, her parents are suing the East Rochester school district over its alleged failure to intervene in problems she was having with classmates.
Dan and Michaela Cady publicly shared the story of their daughter's death last year, urging other families — and the school district — to be vigilant of problems with bullying and mental illness. Then and now, they expressed frustration that the district hadn't investigated allegations of bullying closely enough, and hadn't done enough to prevent similar problems going forward.
In a lawsuit filed earlier this month in state Supreme Court, the Cadys allege the district did not respond when their daughter was "repeatedly bullied, abused, harassed and tormented by several students ... (which) contributed to and caused her depressed mental state and resulting death."
Parents seek answers, awareness after 12-year-old's suicide
In particular, the Cadys have singled out two of their daughter's classmates who they say harassed her at school and on Instagram. They said they informed the school of problems several times prior to Kennis' death.
An investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office was closed without criminal charges. An internal district investigation found no specific wrongdoing, either by the classmates or by adults in the building who could have stepped in, though the district did say it has strengthened some policies.
The lawsuit seeks "recovery for the economic losses incurred and pain and suffering of (Kennis)." Michaela Cady, her mother, said the family also wants the district to provide more details from its investigation.
"We just don't feel like they answered our questions about repercussions for (the adults involved)," she said. "They can't say they have zero tolerance for bullying when they don't."
The district did not respond to a request for comment.
► MORE: Are Rochester-area schools ignoring bullying?
Kennis' three brothers still attend school in East Rochester. Neighbors planted a Japanese maple in her memory — she loved all things Japanese — and organized a memorial event on the one-year anniversary of her death.
"The community has been really supportive; it was good to see no one had forgotten her, even after a year," Michaela Cady said. "But it's going to be a long process."
JMURPHY7@Gannett.com