logo
Boy, 10, died by suicide after his fifth-grade teacher bullied him, lawsuit says

Boy, 10, died by suicide after his fifth-grade teacher bullied him, lawsuit says

Yahoo28-04-2025

A 10-year-old Florida boy died by suicide due to the relentless bullying and "humiliation" of his fifth-grade teacher, a new lawsuit alleges.
Louis Johnson III, of Marion County in central Florida, killed himself in April 2023 after what the lawsuit describes as "months of bullying and public embarrassment" by his teacher Dawn White.
Now his parents, Tyka Johnson and Louis Johnson, are accusing the Marion County School Board of negligently causing his death and are demanding at least $75,000 in damages, according to local broadcaster WCJB.
An investigation by the district in July 2023 found that White had "chronically inflicted psychological distress on multiple students by verbally insulting, humiliating and embarrassing students, which created a hostile educational environment.'
As a result, the district suspended White for five days, and did not renew her contract for the following year.
But the Johnsons say that they had warned the school and the school board about White's behavior, to no avail.
Louis Johnson 'felt like there was no escaping the incessant and daily public humiliation," alleges the complaint, which refers to White as Donna White.
It claims that White engaged in an "open, notorious, and protected pattern of bullying by systematically and chronically inflicting hurt and/or physical distress" on the 10-year-old, including by "encouraging other students" to insult and "humiliate" him.
The Independent has asked the Marion County School Board, and a lawyer who previously acted for White, for comment.
Louis Johnson and his parents moved to Ocala, Florida from Virginia a few months before Johnson's death, according to the Ocala StarBanner.
His parents told detectives that before that point he had been happy and had not suffered any behavioral problems, but that his grades and conduct had started to slip after they moved to Florida.
In a GoFundMe page set up following his death, they described Johnson as "the youngest of four and so full of potential and promise,' saying that he loved going to the beach, catching crabs, and making recipes he had seen on TikTok.
"For those of you who knew him, you were the lucky ones. He would light up any room with his infectious smile," they said.
But at school, the lawsuit alleges, White constantly called Johnson "stupid," "ridiculed him in front of his classmates,' and "recruit[ed] other students" to join in the bullying, according to The Daily Mail.
"I don't know why you're talking because you don't even know anything. You don't know nothing in this class. Isn't that right, kids?" White allegedly told Johnson at one point.
The lawsuit further alleges that White's treatment caused Johnson to develop depression, anxiety, sleep problems, nightmares, and other manifestations of distress, ultimately leading to his death.
In the aftermath, Johnson's parents spread flyers around the school with accusations against White.
If you are based in the U.S. and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can also speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Catastrophic:' sting urged over Star's myriad breaches
'Catastrophic:' sting urged over Star's myriad breaches

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

'Catastrophic:' sting urged over Star's myriad breaches

The Star has been named as a worse offender than Crown in breaking anti-money laundering compliance laws by letting high-risk gamblers funnel billions through its casinos. As financial watchdog AUSTRAC seeks $400 million in penalties against The Star in the Federal Court, the company has cried poor saying that an amount this large would push it into administration. Lawyers for the government agency pushed for a hefty fine on Tuesday, saying the casino operator and others in the industry should be deterred from similarly lax controls on potentially dirty money. "The sting must be there in the penalty, it must maintain its deterrent effect," barrister Joanne Shepard said, as a hearing continued. The Star has pointed to recent financial struggles, arguing it was only able to pay a fine of $100 million. In contrast, Crown agreed to pay a $450 million fine in May 2024 for similar money-laundering breaches. This amount was a "benchmark" which could be used to determine how much The Star could pay, AUSTRAC barrister Simon White SC argued. "The conduct in this case is measurably worse than that in Crown," he said. The Star's breaches were deliberate, he argued, in contrast to Crown. Management at The Star continued to engage with high-risk gamblers without proper controls and risk assessments in place despite clear findings revealed in a public inquiry into Crown, Mr White said. About $138 billion in cash turnover had come in solely through junkets with an additional $20 billion sourced from high-risk customers, Mr White said. "$138 billion just from junkets coming through the casino environment is potentially catastrophic in so many ways Your Honour," he told Justice Cameron Moore. The business had benefited from the breaches bringing in almost $1.3 billion in revenue through junkets at its Sydney and Queensland casinos and at least $1.33 billion more through high-risk gamblers. Additionally, very significant volumes of high-risk cash were pushed through its slot machines, the court was told. While a projected $343 million was expected to be paid to make The Star's anti-money laundering systems compliant, this should have been an expense made years ago, Mr White said. And without the proper measures in place, the casino had an unfair competitive advantage over its rivals, he noted. Earlier on Tuesday, Ms Shepard argued against The Star's claims of financial distress. She pointed out that a "white knight" had recently emerged with US gaming giant Bally's Corporation promising to inject $300 million into the firm. The casino could raise further capital, look into debt refinancing or dip into almost $60 million set aside from the sale of its Treasury Brisbane business, she told Justice Moore. In the 2017, 2018 and 2019 financial years, The Star had brought in $2.4 billion to $2.5 billion in annual revenue, Ms Shepard said. In the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the firm's revenue never dipped below $1.5 billion, she added. An independent expert report released in May valued The Star between $1.17 billion and $1.38 billion with liabilities of about $490 million, the court was told. The hearing continues. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data

Heart medicine stolen from porch of transplant patient in Glasgow Village
Heart medicine stolen from porch of transplant patient in Glasgow Village

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Heart medicine stolen from porch of transplant patient in Glasgow Village

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Tiara Johnson, a heart transplant recipient, is speaking out after her heart medicine was stolen from her porch Friday afternoon. 'I was inside with the door open when it happened,' she said. Her doorbell captured images of the theft. She reported the crime to St. Louis County Police investigators. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'It's not an Amazon package,' said Johnson. 'That was my medication I depend on to live.' She fears there will be few consequences because the suspects are juveniles. 'I need them to know the significance and harm they caused,' she said. Johnson reported the crime to her pharmacy. She said the pharmacy is investigating before determining whether the medication will be replaced. St. Louis County Police confirm one juvenile suspect was identified. In cases involving minors, police are limited in how much information they can share publicly. Johnson said even before the crime, she was facing medical debt from the transplant. She started a GoFundMe to help with expenses. 'I fought very hard, almost eight years, to get this heart, and I try my best to be a good steward over my heart in memory of my heart donor,' she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Local bikers looking for answers from the Richmond County Sheriff's Office after one of their own was severely injured in a hit-and-run
Local bikers looking for answers from the Richmond County Sheriff's Office after one of their own was severely injured in a hit-and-run

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Local bikers looking for answers from the Richmond County Sheriff's Office after one of their own was severely injured in a hit-and-run

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Family and friends say they want justice for 27-year-old Morgan Gray. Gray was injured in a hit-and-run on her motorcycle on May 28th. She's in critical condition here at Doctors Hospital. And her loved ones say someone needs to be held accountable. The accident occurred just before 9 pm at the intersection of Wheeler Road and Frontage Road. Since this incident, bikers have been coming and forming a prayer circle in front of her window at the Hospital. 'We're Morgan Strong all day,' said Dalton Taylor, a Friend of Morgan. 'This little girl shouldn't be going through this all because of a hit and run. So, it's just pretty much just trying to get peace, get justice.' Summer Ivey, Morgan's cousin, has been working to obtain information from the Richmond County Sheriff's Office about the investigation but told me she feels she is getting the bare minimum from them. 'We've asked for updates. We've called, no reply,' said Summer Ivey, Morgans's Cousin. 'We've posted on social media. We've been loud. We've been doing prayer circles, just trying to be there for her. Her son needs her; her family needs her. Her friends, obviously, and we're just steadily going to fight.' The Sheriff's Office located the vehicle and its owner. The vehicle was a company vehicle. They are collecting evidence about the driver but are unable to say anything at this time. 'We have our suspicions, but there's a protocol that we follow,' said Major Robbie Silas, Special Operations Richmond County Sheriff's Office. 'I have a great team that is working tirelessly, you know, around the clock, trying to find the driver of this vehicle. Again, like I said, we are collecting evidence. The vehicle has been processed, and once we get all that, and we'll run that to the DA's office and let them see all the stuff that we have, and then we'll make those charges.' While they continue to seek answers about what happened and who is responsible, they have this solution to keep drivers on both four- and two-wheels safe. 'Regardless of what the situation is. We're on two wheels. Pay attention,' said Taylor. They have a GoFundMe for Morgan Grey. They are also hosting a fundraiser on Saturday, June 21st, at Street & Trail Motorsports from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store