An Indianapolis family is suing the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township for the alleged abuse their deaf-blind 16-year-old son had to endure as a student for years.
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As reported by WISH, the family filed the lawsuit in Marion Superior Court, claiming that the 16-year-old was neglected, abused, and treated with the utmost indifference and indignity. Allegedly, the abuse and neglect occurred at Ben Davis High School and Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center.
The complaint obtained by the outlet alleged that the student was left unattended for hours and deprived of food. Furthermore, on other occasions, the 16-year-old was neglected by ignoring his medical needs, the complaint said.
Shockingly, the family also accused school staff members of filming the 16-year-old while he was naked and in distress, crying. Then, the lawsuit alleged that a special education teacher had physically restrained him, IndyStar reported.
The outlet also reported that the trauma caused the boy to stop communicating his needs and even withhold his urine. This caused him to cry in pain when he needed to use the restroom.
The boy’s mother also accused the school of attributing her son’s injuries to self-harm, although she was never informed of them.
‘Catastrophic Harm’
Attorney Catherine Michael called the alleged treatment “nothing short of barbaric.” Echoing that sentiment, the court papers said that the alleged abuse caused “catastrophic harm.”
“This district has spent years ignoring its legal and moral duty to protect and educate children with disabilities,” Michael said. “The public deserves to know what happened behind those doors and the people responsible must face consequences.”
As a result, they are seeking damages for the physical, emotional, and psychological trauma that the 16-year-old and his mother suffered.
The Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township shared a statement with WISH. They said that they take the allegations with the “utmost seriousness.” Due to federal privacy laws, the school district stated that they are limited in the information they can share publicly.
“We want to be transparent with the public about this matter,” the statement read. “If the family is willing to execute a full release of information that allows the district to discuss the circumstances surrounding these allegations, we would welcome the opportunity to provide our account and the relevant facts of this case.”