A high school freshman in Berkeley, New Jersey, took her own life Friday, two days after a video surfaced of teens beating her in a school hallway, according to Patch.
Central Regional student Adriana Kuch, 14, took her own life after a video of students attacking her and saying, “That’s what you get, you stupid ass bitch,” spread over social media, Patch reported. Kuch reportedly committed suicide two days after the video circulated, though she had been enduring harassment for years, friends of the deceased told the outlet.
Kuch’s classmates staged a walkout the following Wednesday, believing her death could have been prevented if the school had properly addressed the harassment she reportedly faced. Students chanted, “Adriana, Adriana, justice now!” and “justice for age” for two-and-a-half hours, according to Patch.
“The entire district is shaken by the loss of such a young child. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family,” Central Regional School District Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides told the outlet.
New Jersey girl, 14, takes her own life after video shows other girls beating her up https://t.co/XFsCN6FlH8 pic.twitter.com/lpgByZpxey
— New York Post (@nypost) February 9, 2023
The teens assaulted Kuch, attacking her with a full 20 oz. water bottle, pulling her hair and continuing to kick her while she was on the ground, according to video obtained by ABC7. Police have charged four girls with third-degree felony assault, Kuch’s father, Michael, told the outlet.
Kuch reportedly blacked out after the incident. The school did not call an ambulance and instead brought her to the nurse’s office, Michael told ABC7. (RELATED: Teen Allegedly Shoots Girl In The Head After She Refused To Pick Weed Off Floor: Police)
Michael demanded the school be held accountable for its alleged inaction.
“They think it’s fun to attack people and take videos and post them,” he told ABC7. “Getting hit with a water bottle didn’t hurt Adriana, what hurt her was the embarrassment and humiliation, they just kept coming at her.”
“Adriana was the most happy, beautiful young lady in the world, she loved animals,” he added, according to the outlet.