8-Year-Old Boy Hangs Himself with a Necktie, Parents File Lawsuit against the School District

An 8-year-old boy, Gabriel Taye, hanged himself with a necktie back in January, this year; his parents have now filed a lawsuit against the School district of Cincinnati Public School where the little boy attended.

The civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit asserts that the school did not suitably respond to Gabriel being bullied at school. According to the lawsuit, the school failed to inform the boy’s parents of a bullying incident in the bathroom of his school that happened two days before his death.

Security footage had shown Gabriel falling unconscious at school in an incident that might have led to the boy taking his own life.

The school in a statement said, 'our hearts are broken by the loss of this child, and our thoughts are with his parents and extended family.’ They also added that the boy was an outstanding young man, ‘and this is a great loss for his family and our school community.'

Following his death, a Cincinnati police homicide detective reviewed security video from Cincinnati Public School, Carson Elementary. In an email, the investigator told school administrators he noticed an incident in a school bathroom before the boy died.

The detective had told authorities he noticed bullying and behavior that could even rise to the level of criminal assault.

In May, officials from the school released the video to the public after the detective's email emerged, but cautioned that the footage doesn't necessarily express bullying.

The statement says, ‘It is our firm position that the allegations portrayed in the media are not supported by the video.’

However, the lawsuit alleges that Gabriel was knocked unconscious for several minutes.