Distressing video footage appears to show bullying victim Gabriel Taye, 8, lying unconscious on a school floor two days before he killed himself. Photo / AP
Distressing video footage appears to show bullying victim Gabriel Taye, 8, lying unconscious on a school floor two days before he killed himself. Photo / AP
WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT
Shocking CCTV footage shows the moment an 8-year-old boy was allegedly knocked unconscious in a school bathroom by bullies two days before he took his own life.
Gabriel Taye was punched to the floor by a set of bullies at Carson Elementary School in Ohio, with students seen poking and prodding the youngster before he was knocked out.
Just two days later his mother Cornelia Reynolds found her young son dead in his room after he took his own life.
Lawyers for the family claim Carson Elementary covered up the rampant bullying, which they say led to the young boy's death.
Jennifer Branch, the attorney representing the family, said: "The school district still, three years later, has not told us what happened.
"What the principal knew, what the assistant principal knew about how he was bullied and how he was hurt throughout his entire career at Carson Elementary."
The family's lawyer also accused the school of failing to save another video which shows Gabriel being "accosted" by two boys in the same bathroom.
According to the lawyer, the boys who bullied Gabriel snapped his water bottle off him and tried to flush it down the toilet as he stood watching.
The boy then told his teacher what happened before going home that night and taking his own life.
Distressing video footage appears to show bullying victim Gabriel Taye, 8, lying unconscious on a school floor two days before he killed himself. Photo / AP
The family claim Gabriel was severely bullied on at least six other occasions, with the school reportedly failing to advise his parents of what had gone on.
"These parents had no idea how dangerous his third-grade school was," Branch said.
"These parents had no idea what was going on at Carson Elementary School."
The Elementary schools' lawyer attempted to get the case thrown out, but failed.
The school argues that letting the lawsuit go ahead leaves them open to vexatious claims.
But Branch is adamant that the circumstances surrounding Gabriel's death should face legal scrutiny.
She told WCPO: "The school district is arguing, 'Wait, don't let this case go forward … we'll get sued all the time.'
"And I said, 'Great. You should be sued if you're covering this up.'"
