Michigan School Settles Suit Over Suicide For $500,000

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan school district accused of failing to stop a teenager from being bullied settled a lawsuit over his suicide for $500,000, a newspaper reported.

Michael Martin, a 13-year-old student at Lansing Everett High School, took his own life in 2019.

A lawsuit filed by his family was settled last year, the Lansing State Journal reported, citing public records.

Michael's mother, Joanna Wohlfert, said she asked school staff and a bus company for help in addressing bullying but they failed to take action.

The settlement included $332,182 for Michael's estate and $167,818 for lawyers.

Wohlfert declined to comment. There was no immediate comment from the Lansing school district.

Students told an investigator that Michael was called names and shoved at school. Teachers said they noticed a change in his behavior before his death and had asked the Everett administration to intervene.