A week after a 14-year-old freshman committed suicide, students and parents at a high school in New Jersey are demanding cultural reforms. Learn more about Why did Adriana Olivia Kuch commit suicide and what happened to the 14-year-old in detail.
Why did Adriana Olivia Kuch commit suicide?
According to her father Michael Kuch, Adriana Olivia Kuch committed herself on February 3—a few days after a video of her being attacked by four classmates went viral at Central Regional High School in Bayville.
According to News 12 New Jersey, students staged a walkout on Wednesday to protest bullying as part of his demands for the school district to take action.
What happened to her?
After about 30 seconds of fighting, two school personnel rush to stop the attack, which left Adriana wounded and battered on the ground, according to her father.
Adriana was taken to the nurse by Central Regional High School staff, but the Berkeley Township Police Department was not notified of the assault. Triantafillos Parlapanides, the superintendent, claimed that was in keeping with school policy.
According to Parlapanides, “We usually just suspend.” “Parents can file complaints with the police if they wish to.” Kuch, who later made a police report, claimed that school administrators failed to provide him with a full account of what transpired.
Kuch said that “the school misled me and downplayed the severity of my daughter’s assault.” Thus according to News 12, one student was charged with disorderly conduct, and three kids involved in the event have been charged with third-degree felony assault.
Adriana’s death shocked the entire community
The death of a youngster so young has shocked the entire district. The family is in our hearts and our prayers, Parlapanides said in a statement. Parlapanides didn’t address the Central Regional High School District’s alleged failure to stop bullying on campus or address queries about how it handled the assault and video.
Inquiries for comment were not answered by Mayor Carmen F. Amato, Jr. A notification on the district website states that all kids were dismissed early following the demonstration on Wednesday at the school.
What was the reason for suicide?
According to Maureen Brogan, a certified professional counselor who directs the Painful Loss Coalitions for Youth at Rutgers University, being bullied may be a traumatic experience that can cause emotions of dread, isolation, and a lack of belonging.
Bullying is not regarded to be the sole cause of suicide, according to research, but it can be a contributing factor, she said. As per experts in the area, suicide is a very complicated problem, according to Brogan, a member of the state’s Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board.
It has many facets. It is caused by several risk factors rather than just one, Based on the most recent data from the state Department of Education, school districts in New Jersey recorded 18,576 occurrences of violence, vandalism, weapons, drug use, harassment, intimidation, and bullying in the 2019–20 school year.
Reports on Harrasements
Thus according to data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five high school students in New Jersey, or 16.4%, reported being harassed on school grounds in 2019, while 13.8% reported being cyberbullied (CDC).
The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System discovered that in 2019, 9.1% of high school students in New Jersey reported getting into a physical altercation on school grounds, while 7.6% were hurt or felt threatened with a weapon there.
Tragically, 14.5% of students who responded to the study stated they had thought about trying to kill themselves, and 5.9% said they had succeeded.
Adriana’s family and friends are invited to public viewing on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Mastapeter Memorial Home in Bayville, which will be followed by a private burial. Donations to the Jersey Shore Animal Center in Brick may be made in Adriana’s honor in place of flowers.
Adriana Olivia Kuch: Who was she?
Sadly, on February 3, 2023, Bayville resident Adriana O. Kuch, 14, passed away. She was born in Toledo, Ohio, but moved about a lot because her father served the country as an Army Airborne soldier. Seven years ago, they made the move to Bayville.
Adriana attended Central Regional High School as a freshman. She was a passionate nature lover who loves all animals, supported kids with special needs, and loved jogging with her brothers. Adriana also loved skateboarding, driving dune buggies, riding dirt bikes, and taking hikes in the woods.
Brandy, Adriana’s mother, had passed away before her. She is survived by her devoted siblings, Ashley Kuch, Brittany Kuch, Brandon Tucker, Michael Kuch Jr. and his wife Jennifer Ferro, Jacob Kuch, Ethan Kuch, Marissa Lynch, and Haiden Lynch in addition to her devoted parents, Michael Sr. and Sarah Kuch.
Obituary
Visiting hours for relatives and friends will be Friday, Feb. 10th, from 5 pm to 7 pm at the Mastapeter Memorial Home, 270 Atlantic City Blvd., Bayville. The committal will be private with the family. In lieu of flowers, for expressions of condolences, donations in Adriana’s memory to Jersey Shore Animal Center, 185 Brick Blvd., Brick NJ 08723 (https://jerseyshoreanimalcenter.org), would be appreciated. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Adriana O Kuch, please visit our floral store.
How do people react to this incident?
Laureen Kaufman-Brunner posted,
We need to do better as parents. As a community. We need to force the BOE to stronger, better policies. And we need the administrators to join in this fight. This is not zero tolerance. This is a lack of real consequences. Lack of real discipline. Lack of respect for authority. Lack of humanity. Be aware of what your kids are doing. How they’re treating others. What they are posting on social media. KINDNESS. It is everything. If you’re watching this story spread, you should be feeling this pit in your stomach. The uneasiness. The sadness this baby felt. We need our babies to be cared for and safe when they’re in school. Change needs to happen.
David Scott wrote,
Glad to see bullying still thrives at Central Regional! Where all the cool and “popular” kids can just do whatever the fuck they want and get in no trouble for it. I mean not that the staff as a whole are any better. There were a few good teachers, but not nearly enough to make a difference. While I attended school there people TRIED to bully me, and every time I stood up for myself I got in trouble. On top of that, I can’t count how many teachers/staff would tell me I’d be nothing in life! Sad this young woman’s life ended shortly because of this school’s incompetence! My condolences go out to the family! Trian Parlapanides what do you plan on doing about this?
Jessica Laskowski Van Nest posted,
The last time I posted something about how real bullying is, I had a mom of a child come to My home and tell ME, I was a liar and her child isn’t the problem. She refused to leave! She screamed and told me that I need to find help for myself. I will not stop posting about these poor families that have to deal with the unimaginable. No one wants to open their eyes and see what is going on! No one cares unless it is their child! This hits very close to home. God Bless Adriana and her family.
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Lavanya (Senior Editor) is a full-time content writer with almost 5 years of experience and a part-time teacher. She joined Medico Topics on the Breaking News trainee scheme in 2022 and now works on MedicoTopics.com. As a lifelong learner, She is constantly curious about learning new things and passionate about sharing knowledge with people through her writing and teaching.