Mother of Bullied Teen Sues Over Daughter’s Suicide

A Missouri woman alleges in a wrongful death lawsuit that her 13-year-old daughter killed herself after years of unchecked school bullying.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that Elizabeth Overstreet is suing the Hallsville School District and several employees over the April 2017 death of her daughter, Rylie Wagner. The petition says Rylie was the victim of ongoing abuse at the Hallsville Middle School because of her sexual orientation, clothes and other characteristics.

The suit says Overstreet and parents of other bullied students complained, but school administrators did not take any action.

School district attorney spokeswoman Kari Yeagy says the school system can’t comment on the lawsuit but that school officials take all allegations of bullying seriously. The suit was transferred Friday from state court to federal court.