PARKERSBURG - A lawsuit filed this month by the parent of a Wood County Schools student alleges her son was brutally assaulted by another student and a supervising teacher did nothing to intervene.
The suit filed Oct. 10 in Wood County Circuit Court alleges the attack took place March 29 at an unnamed middle school in Wood County while students were waiting on a bus. The lawsuit names John Doe, listed as a child under the age of 18, and the Wood County Board of Education as defendants.
The suit was filed by "Rebbicca S." on behalf of her son "SS" who was not named due to him being a juvenile under the age of 18. The suit lists Rebbicca S. only as a Wood County resident.
The suit alleges "John Doe violently grabbed SS and and slammed his head into a window and/or other parts of the school's building, and then slammed SS to the concrete surface of the ground, where SS's head violently struck the concrete and where John Doe situated himself on top of SS by pinning him beneath his body and beat him in the face and head with his fists."
The suit alleges the entire assault occurred in front of an on-duty teacher who "made no effort to intervene or to stop it" and says officials at the school, including the teacher, were aware her son was being bullied by John Doe prior to the assault.
The attack resulted in SS suffering multiple injuries, including "bilateral nasal fractures and/or other fractures in and around his face." The attack also resulted in SS suffering a concussion and some memory loss.
Fact Box
About The Lawsuit
- The parent of a Wood County Schools middle school student has filed a lawsuit against another student and the Wood County Board of Education, claiming her son was attacked and injured while waiting for the school bus and an on-duty teacher witnessed the assault but did not intervene. The names of the students involved as well as the specific school where the alleged assault took place were not given in the lawsuit, citing both students involved are minors.
According to the lawsuit, the assault led to more than $12,000 in medical bills as well as future medical expenses. The suit asks for Rebbicca S. to be awarded compensatory and punitive damages, as well as reimbursement for legal fees.
The Wood County Board of Education is named as a defendant because of the teacher's complicity in the assault and because the students were both still under the guardianship of Wood County Schools at the time of the assault, according to the suit.
Both the board and John Doe have 20 days to respond to the suit from the time it was filed.
Wood County Schools Superintendent Pat Law said he was aware of the lawsuit, which was submitted directly to the school board's attorney. He declined further comment, saying he was unaware of the specific details of the suit.
