The parents of Kendrick Johnson, the Valdosta teen whose lifeless body was found inside an upright gym mat, have filed a wrongful death suit against school officials claiming they did nothing to stop repeated harassment by a white student.
The lawsuit states that, “on or about January 10, 2013, Kendrick Lamar Johnson was violently assaulted, severely injured, suffered great physical pain and mental anguish, and subjected to insult and loss of life, all of which took place at the hands of one or more students while on the property of Lowndes High School and during its normal hours of operations.”
It’s the second suit filed by the Johnsons against the Lowndes County School System. In May, they sued the Board of Education and other Lowndes school officials for negligence.
Warren Turner, attorney for the Lowndes County School System, said the school had not been served with either lawsuit and declined comment.
From the beginning, Johnson’s parents have refused to accept the official police finding that the 17-year-old accidentally suffocated after he became trapped in the mat, which measures about 6 feet high and 3 feet across.
According to Lowndes County Sheriff’s investigators, Johnson reached into the mat from above to retrieve his gym shoes, which he shared with a friend and stored underneath the mats. Typically, he would tilt the mat to retrieve the sneakers but investigators believe Johnson was running late for a weight training class and, in his haste, reached from above instead of pulling the surrounding mats to the side.
Kendrick’s parents continue to insist their son was murdered, alleging the police and school have engaged in a cover-up. But the Lowndes sheriff said there was no sign of foul play.
Michael Moore, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, launched a review of the case last October. He said he would not comment until concluding his probe, which is expected soon.
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