• Sat. Apr 1st, 2023

Adriana Kuch: Teens charged after teen took own life


Fou teenage girls have been charged in the savage beating that family members said drove US 14-year-old Adriana Kuch to take her own life.

The arrests were all in the state of New Jersey.

One teen charged with aggravated assault, another with harassment, and two others with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D Billhimer told NBC News.

“Each juvenile and their guardian was served with a copy of their complaint and are released pending future court appearances,” Mr Billhimer said.

The teens’ names have not been released.

Four girls were previously suspended from Central Regional High School in Berkeley, New Jersey, and charged with third-degree felony assault and a fourth was charged with disorderly conduct, reported the New York Post.

The group was seen on video ruthlessly attacking Adriana in the school hallway as she was walking with her boyfriend on February 1.

Her assailants threw a drink at Adriana, kicked and punched her, and dragged her down the hallway. They pushed her into lockers, pulled her hair, and hit her with a 240ml water bottle as onlookers laughed.

“That’s what you get, you stupid a** b***h!” one person can be heard yelling in the 20-second clip.

According to Adriana’s father, one of the girls who recorded the assault sent Adriana a text mocking her for being covered in “dripping blood” and getting her “a** whooped.”

Adriana took her own life inside a closet in her Berkeley home hours after the message was delivered.

“They used the video to continue to harass and intimidate her and make fun of her,” Michael Kuch told The Post on Friday.

Mr Kuch believes his daughter’s suicide was fuelled by the brutal bullying, which continued even after her death — one of the teen girls involved in the attack has been posting disrespectful Snapchat posts in the last few days, he alleged.

Other parents have claimed that bullying is a pervasive issue at Central Regional High School. One parent, who said her daughter was jumped by students despite looking toward staff for help, launched a Change.org petition to “Stop the Violence” at the school, and has garnered over 8300 signatures.

More than 200 students protested outside the school on Friday over the district’s alleged failure to act — the school did not call the police or ambulance after Adriana’s assault, despite her father’s claim that she blacked out and was covered in bruises.

This story appeared in the New York Post and is reproduced with permission.

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