Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Family Of 12-Year-Old Who Committed Suicide Suing School For Ignoring Bullying
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Aug 2, 2017
Modified Aug 2, 2017
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Aug 2, 2017
Modified Aug 2, 2017
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The family of a New Jersey middle schooler who committed suicide in June is suing the school district for gross negligence, alleging that the school turned a blind eye to the cyber-bullying that their daughter Mallory Grossman faced for months before taking her own life.
The Grossman family announced the lawsuit against the Rockaway Township School District on Tuesday, NBC News reports, and spoke to the press about the relentless harassment that Mallory, 12, faced through text messages and social media. "For months, there were texts, there was Snapchat, there was Instagram," attorney Bruce Nagle said. "For months she was told she's a loser, she has no friends. And finally, she was even told, 'Why don't you kill yourself?'"
Despite filing multiple complaints with Copeland Middle School officials, the family claims that the school district did nothing to prevent the bullying. Diane Grossman, Mallory's mother, said she even alerted the school to the issue on the day before her daughter committed suicide.
"She would bring something to my attention, I would bring it to the school's attention several times, and they dismissed it every time," Dianne Grossman said Tuesday, according to ABC-7. "There was a pattern."
The pattern began in October, Grossman said Tuesday, and involved several girls tormenting Mallory, mostly online. As a result of the "vile and malicious" bullying, Mallory's grades plummeted, and she began suffering from headaches and stomach pain, her mother said. The family had begun the process of moving their daughter to private school, but "unfortunately, she didn't give us a chance to," Grossman added.
The lawsuit may also name the parents of three or four of the girls who allegedly bullied Mallory, NJ.com reports. On the night before her daughter's death, Diane Grossman also contacted one of the parents of an alleged bully, who "said it was just a big joke and defended her daughter," according to the Grossman.
On Wednesday, Greg McGann, the superintendent of Rockaway Township School District, posted a notice on the district's website, saying that he hadn't seen the lawsuit, and would not be discussing it while the investigation was ongoing.
"The teachers, staff and administrators within the Rockaway Township School Distsrict are, as they have always been, and will continue to be, committed to protecting the rights and safety for al our students," the superintendent added. "As our new school year begins in just over a month, our vigilance on behalf of our children and their quality education in our schools, is our primary focus and concern."
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
Tagged
Mallory Grossman
new jersey
Rockaway Township School District
suicide
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Tompkins Square Park is getting a makeover. Some say it's too much.
Some regulars at the East Village park want to preserve its not-so-fancy offerings.
By
Willow Higgins
Published Oct 17, 2026 at 7:00 a.m. ET
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
News
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .