New Hampshire Teen Who Zapped His Nipples Sues School, Teacher

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Daily Blotter

Cell Phone Video Captured Kyle Dubois Shocking Himself in a Classroom (Personal Photo/CBS/WBZ)

DOVER, N.H. (CBS/AP) Kyle Dubois, a New Hampshire high school student who shocked himself so severely in shop class that his heart stopped beating, is suing his teacher, the school district and the city of Dover.

Dubois and his parents claim teacher Thomas Kelley did not warn Dubois and other students of the dangers of the electrical demonstration cords in their electrical trades class.

"As a master electrician and experienced teacher of electrical technology, Mr. Kelley knew or should have known that the electrical circuits in his classroom could administer harmful or fatal shocks to his students," the lawsuit states according to local station WMUR.

On March 11, Dubois attached an electrical clamp to one nipple while another student attached another clamp to the other. A third student plugged in the cord.

Dubois was critically injured.

WMUR reports that Dubois' suit contends he suffered permanent brain damage "due to his heart stoppage." The lawsuit also claims Kelley was "less than eight feet away at the time and saw and heard students engaging in this activity."

The lawsuit also states that Kelley was heard saying, "Kyle should try it with his nipples and that he, Mr. Kelley, would give him a Mountain Dew if he did so."

Kelley resigned from his teaching position about a month after the incident.

According to WMUR, the teacher has always said that he did not offer the soda. In a videotaped police interview days after the incident, Kelley gave different account of what happened.

"I was talking about my fantasy baseball team with one student, and then the next thing I know, there was a commotion," Kelley told police. "I heard, you know, an 'Ouch!' and I look, and there's Kyle going to the ground."

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by mkcarter71 November 15, 2010 4:51 PM EST: I would have to say this young man had brain damage LONG before he attached those electrical clamps to his NIPPLES. Come on now unless this child is 3 he should have known better his parents honestly need a reality check!!!; Reply to this comment


by msbelle October 13, 2010 7:49 PM EDT: If they don't throw this out of court we will know with out a shadow of a doubt that inmates are in charge of the asylum.; Reply to this comment


by EtpuisCertains October 13, 2010 8:30 AM EDT: He's getting acclimated to what his future holds... the zapping sound of electricity...; Reply to this comment


by babzc September 9, 2010 8:05 PM EDT: i have loved reading all that has been written here. i have also , as we noted before, loved being part of the only thread ever in the history of the entire internet, where every single one of us are in agreement... i feel so damned special.; Reply to this comment


by TinyDancerNJ September 9, 2010 12:14 PM EDT: The worst part of this is the message being sent to kids these days. My friend's 17 year old son is a mess and he's had it coming. Got caught drinking in school in 8th grade? Blame the kid he was hanging out with and the school for not separating them when asked. Kid gets alcohol poisoning in 9th grade and rushed to ER? Blame the crowd he was hanging out with. Kid starts struggling academically because he doesn't do his homework? Blame the teachers for not contacting you immediately when an assignment is not turned in and the school system for taking away his IEP.

This is the style of parenting in vogue now. Don't get me wrong, I'm an extended breastfeeder and a co-sleeper and an attachment parent - but by the time they are old enough to choose their own actions, I'm kickin' it old school. One day I realized - all the parents that criticized me for wearing my babies and breastfeeding them as toddlers are the ones who drive their kids to the end of the driveway to get the school bus on a beautiful day. We parent upside down in this country: nurture your babies and let your older children find their own way.; Reply to this comment


by ibbarkingmad September 5, 2010 3:36 AM EDT: The kid was an idiot and payed for it. Seriously. What person in this day and age doesn't know electricity can kill? If the kid is too dumb to understand that then he pays the price. Natural selection works. I think this kid deserves the Darwin Award. Further more, I think the teacher is being demonized. I have watched over and taught a group of boys. There is no way he could have seen or controlled all the actions of every idiot kid. The kids who hooked up the idiot should be the ones in trouble and the parent apparently can't hack it in teaching their kid survival skills. Back to basics then. Food good. Fire bad.; Reply to this comment


by Metazip September 5, 2010 1:31 AM EDT: Well, the teacher might have some responsibilty as the authority figure present when this occured. But a lawsuit? Don't think so. The youth is probably a real wiseguy and you know what? If he's stupid enough to do this to himself, he probably had brain damage to start off with. Could have been from sniffing glue or the likes. Lawsuit? Maybe the school district needs to sue the parents for raising an idiot for a son. This is another classic case of "I screwed up, but it's somebody else's fault."; Reply to this comment


by jrnbritt2 September 5, 2010 1:05 AM EDT: Give me a break! I know that the parents are shocked that this happened at school but, the kid knew it was going to shock him...there is NO WAY I would ever believe otherwise. To blame it on the teacher is SHAMEFUL! I am so sick of all of these sue happy people always trying to blame others instead of accepting responsibility for their own issues--; Reply to this comment


by kittycatman2 September 4, 2010 9:34 PM EDT: Ok, let me see if I understand correctly. This window licker electrocuted itself and is blaming others for its injuries. Well it sounds like the parents inability to raise their spawn correctly resulted in the little window licker injuring itself. To avoid the cost of a full time nurse now that it's a retard they want to blame someone else. Wow that sounds right for that group. What's the issue?; Reply to this comment


by suemunford September 4, 2010 6:12 PM EDT: Unfortunately, in today's society, he will make money. When the decision to pay out is weighed against the cost to litigate, it's a no brainer; this idiot will make out. I'm curious if a waiver (outlining the dangerousness of electricity) was completed at the beginning of the class/school year. I know how many things I have to sign for my kids' school. Hope the school thought ahead on that one, will save them some money in the long run.; Reply to this comment