SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Nearly six months after a teenage boy committed suicide, his mother is moving forward with a lawsuit against his Logan Heights high school and the San Diego Unified School District.
German Aramburo-Guzman took his own life just a few months after starting 9th grade at King-Chavez Academy of Excellence. Last August, he told his family about that he was the victim of bullying.
His mother, Zulema Guzman, said that fellow students harassed, verbally bullied, cyber-bullied and taunted German about his alleged sexual orientation.
During September or October of 2017, German repeatedly cried in class and was sent to another classroom to seek comfort.
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Guzman also said her son hurt himself at school, but she was never notified, even when police came to the school and spoke to him.
The boy’s family says the bullying only got worse as the school year progressed, and on November 9, 2017, the 14-year-old took his own life.
Guzman’s mother said she was the one who discovered her son’s body.
The lawsuit against both King-Chavez Academy of Excellence Corporation and the San Diego Unified School District contends that the administration at the school was well aware of the ongoing bullying and harassment but failed to initiate a safety plan or stop the mistreatment.
The family's attorney, Michael Carrillo, spoke about the lawsuit at a Wednesday morning news conference.
Guzman shared a statement about the loss of her son and her pursuit for justice. She said she was left in the dark by the school.
“I went to talk to them because I needed help. I wanted to get help for him, but they said they were going to call me back to make a meeting with the principal, but they didn't,” Guzman said.
The family is suing both institutions for wrongful death, negligent hiring and supervision following the suicide of the teen.
“As far as me, mom, and all the people that I've spoken to, there's been no investigation to determine who the bullies were or how they could have prevented it,” Carrillo said.
SD Unified officials said King-Chavez Academy is a charter school and not a district-operated campus.
School officials issued this statement regarding the lawsuit:
“We strongly disagree with the statements made in this court filing. However, due to privacy concerns and out of respect for the family, we are unable to discuss the matter or provide additional details at this time.”
