Officials have announced that four high school students from New Jersey who were seen attacking Adriana Kuch two days before she killed herself will be charged as minors.
Two days after getting attacked by her classmates in horrific films broadcast online, Kuch, 14, was discovered dead at home on February 3.
The county prosecutor in New Jersey, Bradley Billhimer, revealed to Dailymail.com that the bullies were being charged as minors, so they will avoid appearing in adult court.
The Bayville, New Jersey school, Central Regional School, has come under fire for neglecting to call the police after Kuch was left bleeding and bruised in the incident. Billhimer also disclosed that he had been in constant touch with the school.
Since then, four students have been accused with offenses including harassment, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, and the aggravated assault of Kuch by one student.
In New Jersey, aggravated assault convictions as an adult carry sentences of up to ten years in prison and fines of up to $150,000.
However, the maximum sentence for a child found guilty of serious assault is merely three years in a juvenile correctional facility.
According to Billhimer, “The offenses charged herein are juvenile offenses and are not subject to waiver to adult criminal court.”
The county prosecutor also disclosed that the day before he was required to quit, he had met with the disgraced former school superintendent.
On Saturday, Dr. Trianatafillos Parlapanides sensationally resigned from his $190,000-per-year position after launching a smear campaign against Kuch’s family, alleging that she had received counseling for “drugs,” and disclosing details of her marital woes.
In a private meeting on Thursday, Billhimer claimed he spoke with students and staff at the school for two hours.
Then, on Friday morning, he and Parlapanides had a second meeting to “discuss ways to improve the district’s response to incidents within the school.”
Billhimer claimed that after Parlapanides’ resignation, he contacted Doug Corbett, the acting superintendent.
As we proceed, Billhimer added, “I will be collaborating with the Acting Superintendent and school administrators to address the needs of the students.”
Billhimer added, “I can say that was certainly a topic of discussion,” when asked if he had questioned staff about their decision not to call the police following the attack on Kuch.
Due to their youth, the names of the four teenagers who have been charged in connection with the assault have been withheld.
It happens after it was discovered that a different student participated in a comparable assault in January.
A lawsuit was brought against the school in October 2022 and included details of the initial incident.
The first victim’s attorney, Jonathan Ettman, told Fox News Digital that bullying situations like this are “planned, they’re plotted…” as a result of their desire for fame.
They are prepared with their telephones because they want to humiliate and bully the victim even more, Ettman continued.
Before his suicide, Kuch was attacked in a 20-second viral video.
The adolescent was walking with her boyfriend when she was attacked by numerous kids, who struck her with water bottles.
Adriana is also shown being laughed at by onlookers as she lies in the fetal position on the floor of the school hallway after being hit, kicked, and having her hair pulled.
It was heard one of the attackers screaming, “That’s what you get you stupid a** b****.”
The school nurse attended to her, but administrators chose not to call the police.
Adriana had allegedly been struck with a 20-ounce water bottle, according to her father Michael Kuch.
She was treated by the school nurse for the bruises and cuts she sustained in the assault.
I understand how it occurred, he declared. She had been threatening my daughter online, and these two haven’t liked each other in a few years, so that’s why it happened.
The way Superintendent Parlapanides handled the situation drew criticism.
He made some derogatory remarks about Kuch’s family situation after being approached by Dailymail.com in an apparent effort to divert attention from the fact that she was being bullied.
Her father was having an affair at the end of her sixth grade, Parlapanides said in a statement to Dailymail.com on Friday.
“Her father married the woman with whom he had an affair and brought her into the home,” was stated.
Her grades and choices deteriorated in 7th and 8th grade, he continued. Five times we offered her drug rehab and mental health services, but her father always declined.
The school board announced over the weekend that they had accepted his resignation.
The Central Regional School District Board of Education announced in a statement on Saturday night that it had accepted Dr. Triantafillos Parlapanides’ resignation.
“The Central Regional family is still in deep sorrow over the passing of one of our kids. Everybody here is praying for the victim’s family, friends, and the entire neighborhood. All claims of bullying, both recent and old, are being investigated by the Central Regional School District.
The District has gotten in touch with the Department of Education and will have its anti-bullying policies reviewed independently to make sure all required safeguards are in place to protect our kids and staff. With immediate effect, Dr. Douglas Corbett will serve as interim superintendent.
On Friday, students and parents gathered outside the school with posters in protest of what they called the “administration who swore to protect” them and their treatment with “a shocking lack of sensitivity” and “action.”
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