The mother of a young girl who killed herself due to massive bullying has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the school board for failing to take action.
Elaina LoAlbo claims that her 11-year-old daughter Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez was harassed and bullied for years by students at the FW Holbein School in New Jersey because of her appearance, her Latino roots and her “perceived sexual orientation.”
LoAlbo’s lawsuit alleges that nothing was done to help her sixth-grader, despite numerous emails being sent to school administrators “about persistent and systemic bullying.”
The harassment also allegedly included Felicia being harassed, mocked, sworn at and pushed down stairs.
The documents filed name Mount Holly Principal Robert Mungo, Principal Daniel Finn, counselors and teachers who are accused of negligence and failure to protect their daughter from a “prolonged, sustained period of bullying.”
Felicia hanged herself in the school bathroom on February 6 and died two days later.
Elaina said at a press conference: “She regularly came home crying. “It just became unbearable there.”
Elaina LoAlbo claims her 11-year-old daughter Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez was harassed and bullied for years by students at FW Holbein School because of her appearance, her Latino roots and her “perceived sexual orientation.”
The lawsuit says the sixth-grader sent numerous emails to school administrators “regarding persistent and systematic bullying,” in which she was harassed, taunted, called derogatory names and pushed down a flight of stairs, but to no avail
The lawsuit was filed against Mount Holly Principal Robert Mungo, Principal Daniel Finn, counselors and teachers, accusing them of negligence and failure to protect the girl from a “prolonged, sustained period of bullying.”
The grieving mother claims the bullying was carried out by a group of seven children via mobile phones and in person.
The lawsuit also states that Felicia was excluded from social settings because she “held the position that love was love and that she could love someone of the same sex or of a different sex.”
The case also alleges that two of the children taunted Felicia into “taking herself out of life.”
In one of the numerous emails Felicia sent to the school detailing the bullying she faced, she once suggested starting a “trauma club” where people could talk about things would speak about what they had suffered.
Speaking to , Elaina couldn’t hold back her tears as she revealed her last conversation with her daughter on February 6, when she said Felicia really wanted to go to school to take part in a play.
“I never in a million years thought this day would turn out like this,” Elaina told .
“I wanted her to stay home. I wanted to get our nails done. And she came into my room that morning. I kiss goodbye.
“We had planned for her to stay home and she said, ‘No, Mom, I miss school too much. I want to go to the theater today.”
“She had a part in a play.” I said, “Okay, I love you.” I kissed her. I asked her to take out the recycling and she skipped school. It was a day like no other.’
According to Elaina, Felicia regularly visited the school’s guidance counselor and a private therapist to grieve the death of her father, Alexis Melendez, a New Jersey police detective who died of pancreatic cancer in January
Speaking to , LoAlbo couldn’t hold back her tears as she revealed her last conversation with her daughter on February 6, when she said Felicia really wanted to go to school to take part in a play
“An autopsy conducted by the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office concluded the manner of death was suicide and the cause of death was determined to be complications of hanging,” the Burlington County District Attorney’s Office wrote in a news release.
“An investigation into the student’s death by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, which included a review of the school’s surveillance cameras, revealed that she was alone in the restroom when this tragic act occurred.”
“The investigation also determined that no foul play was involved.”
According to Elaina, Felicia regularly visited the school’s guidance counselor and a private therapist to grieve the death of her father, Alexis Melendez, a New Jersey police detective who died of pancreatic cancer in January.
“I had my daughter psychologically evaluated that afternoon and it was determined that she was lucid and not self-harming,” Elaina told
Elaina said her daughter’s private therapist and the good “cancer community” helped her cope with the loss.
A week before Felicia’s death, the girl had emailed her school counselor and told her that she was being bullied and that the school would be breaking the law if she didn’t take action, Elaina claims.
But the counselor allegedly responded by calling mom Elaina to “reprimand” her and tell the middle schooler to “watch her language,” she claims.
That same day, Felicia visited her therapist and was evaluated at the school counselor’s request.
“I had my daughter psychologically evaluated that afternoon and it was determined that she was lucid and not self-harming,” Elaina told .
Elaina added that school administrators did not address her daughter’s concerns the next day.
“The school did nothing. The school didn’t question them or any of the bullies, and they failed.”
Elaina confronted school officials in person about her daughter’s problems because she knew she wouldn’t get the same response via email.
She recalled sitting with the principal last December to discuss whether Felicia should be moved to other classrooms. Although the school was supposed to do the move for the 11-year-old, it never did, according to Elaina.
“I even called other families and talked to them about their children being bullied. “Obviously none of that helped,” Elaina added.
Elaina encouraged her daughter to stand up for herself and advocate for her. “I encouraged my daughter to learn Krav Maga (a form of martial arts),” she said
Elaina encouraged her daughter to stand up for herself and advocate for her.
“I encouraged my daughter to learn Krav Maga (a form of martial arts),” she said.
“I encouraged her to verbally advocate for herself and advocate for herself.” Apparently that’s why she sent the emails, to advocate for herself. ‘
Despite the bullying, Elaina felt that her daughter had overcome the difficult periods in life. Felicia was actively involved in school and participated in a band.
“She wanted to go to the Philharmonic in New York City because they had worked so hard for it,” Elaina said.
“She believed that her school friends and her tribe were people who helped her in those moments, and she turned to them. “She felt like she got through all those moments the way she was supposed to, and I do it’s the same.”
Elaina added that after taking a close look at Felicia’s phone, there were no signs that she intended to hurt herself.
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults ages 10 to 24.
Rates are higher among children of color, with girls and young women particularly at risk.