Outrage as CRSD head Triantafillos Parlapanides doesn't want to ‘double whammy’ Adriana Kuch bullies
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
BERKELEY, NEW JERSEY: Four students involved in the death of a 14-year-old Central Regional High School student Adriana Kuch, who took her own life on February 3 after a video of her being bullied was posted online, were suspended, the district superintendent confirmed on Thursday, February 9. Triantafillos Parlapanides said, "We always address every issue of bullying and on the day of the incident four students were suspended."
The assault occurred when a 20-second clip, taken on February 1, got surfaced online. In that video, Adriana was seen walking down the hallway when a student came to her and started beating her in the face with a water bottle. This led Adriana to fall down to the ground, followed by cheering which was recorded off-camera. Then two school workers interrupt the attack but by that time, Adriana was already bloodied and bruised. The video ended with someone saying “that’s what you get, you stupid a** b****," reports Patch. The culprits were seen punching and pulling Adriana’s hair, while others laughed and recorded the assault, states ABC 7. The 14-year-old took her own life two days later.
READ MORE
'They think it's fun to attack people'
Reacting to it, Adriana's father Michael Kuch said, as per ABC 7, "They think it's fun to attack people and take videos and post them. Getting hit with a water bottle didn't hurt Adriana, what hurt her was the embarrassment and humiliation, they just kept coming at her." He explained, "My daughter actually blacks out and they don’t call an ambulance, they take her to the nurse’s office." Adding further, he told NBC New York, “A kid is assaulted with a weapon and their policy is not to call the police or file a report.”
On Facebook, the father wrote that he took his daughter to the police after the incident, adding that if an investigation began then, the videos could have been discovered and taken down immediately. Referring to the video, he wrote, "I want the entire world to know what these animals did to my daughter. I will not sleep until their family has to watch them stand in front of a judge and plead guilty."
Who is Triantafillos Parlapanides?
The Superintendent of Schools at Central Regional School District & Seaside Heights since 2008, Triantafillos, who also served as a principal at Central Regional School District for six years, as per his LinkedIn profile, said that the response was in line with school policy, reports NBC New York. He told News 12 New Jersey, "I don't believe a police report was done. We normally just suspend. If a parent wants to press charges they can with the police. But we're not going to double-whammy a kid where they are suspended and then police charges as well."
In 2019, Parlapanides said, commenting on the 2018 Stoneman Douglas massacre that left 17 students and staff dead, "Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy to bring awareness," stated Jersey Shore Online.
'There will not be any rallies'
The district posted a letter on its website pointing to the rally that got carried out at schools where over 200 students walked out of class on February 8 to protest and demand further action to be taken. The letter read, “We fully understand that students, staff and the community are hurting for the loss of such a young lady with a bright future," and added, "To ensure the health, safety and well-being for all student, there will not be any rallies in the future without prior administrative approval otherwise action will be taken in accordance with policy."
Are the four girls charged?
According to News 12 New Jersey, three of the four girls seen in the video are charged with third-degree felony assault while the fourth has been charged with disorderly conduct.