Robert Bingle, the managing partner of Carboy & Demetrio, the Chicago law firm that filed the suit, said Martin had contacted the school several times to report bullying of her daughter.
“The school was aware of this bullying and did not follow the steps mandated by CPS code to stop this behavior,” Bingle said in a statement.
Bingle said in a phone interview Thursday that he and his client would specify the amount of damages they are seeking after additional evidence was obtained from CPS.
“There was some social media that we have,” said Bingle when asked about what evidence proves Phlipot was bullied at school. “But also we have the direct testimony of the mother who went to the school and reported” bullying of her daughter.
About a month after McKenzie hanged herself on the evening of May 8, a school day, her parents passed out fliers to parents telling their daughter’s story.
The flier stated that she was “picked on” and “bullied.”
“She was shoved, punched and even required emergency room visits after being injured at school,” the flier continued. “One of her teachers repeatedly singled her out and treated her differently than other students. Her family’s cries for help were ignored. Nothing was done.”