Andreozzi + Foote has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (Case No. 1:26-cv-00471-YK) on behalf of Sandra Esther Jusino, administrator of the estate of Yadriel Rivera Jusino. The lawsuit asserts federal civil rights claims, along with wrongful death and survival claims under Pennsylvania law, against the Lebanon School District and multiple school officials, seeking to hold them accountable for their alleged deliberate indifference to repeated and known reports of race-based and disability-based bullying in the years leading up to Yadriel’s death.
Yadriel died by suicide on June 3, 2024. He was 12 years old.
Born in Puerto Rico, Yadriel primarily spoke Spanish. He attended schools in the Lebanon School District from 2020 until his death in 2024. He received special education services under an individualized education program, or IEP, due to dyslexia, which district officials were aware of.
The complaint alleges that the bullying, which included physical assaults and discriminatory taunts, was due in part to his race as a Latino student, and his disability, dyslexia. The filing alleges that school administrators had actual knowledge of the bullying but failed to meaningfully investigate or intervene as required by district policy and federal law.
Allegations of Repeated Reports Without Action
The complaint alleges that in September 2022, Yadriel reported being physically assaulted and bullied to a school counselor. That report was documented in school records. The defendants allegedly did not follow up on this report.
During the 2023–2024 school year, Yadriel’s sister allegedly reported discriminatory bullying directly to the school principal. According to the suit, he told Yadriel and his sister that he would take some action to help, including contacting Yadriel’s parents, but he did not do so. Yadriel’s stepfather also made multiple reports to school administrators during the 2023-2024 school year, including the assistant principal and a social worker. There was no follow up or investigation, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges that even with these repeated complaints, the defendants took no meaningful action in response to these entreaties for help. The complaint further alleges that as a result of the bullying, Yadriel took his own life. According to the lawsuit, despite a documented 2022 report of bullying and additional reports from Yadriel’s sister and stepfather in 2023 and 2024, the principal recorded a notation in Yadriel’s school file the day after his death indicating there were no documented reports of concerns. According to the filing, that notation was untrue, as school records reflect at least one prior documented report, while reports made by family members were not reflected in the official record.
The lawsuit names the Lebanon School District as well as individual school officials and seeks to hold them legally liable under federal civil rights law for the alleged failures that caused Yadriel’s death.
Alleged Violations of Federal Civil Rights and Disability Laws
Despite clear policy requirements, the lawsuit alleges that complaints about Yadriel’s bullying were not investigated promptly, nor was any appropriate corrective or preventative action taken.
The federal complaint asserts claims under:
- Violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (race discrimination)
- Violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, 42
U.S.C. § 1983 - Failure to train under 42 U.S.C. § 1983
- Violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Violation of § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
- Pennsylvania wrongful death and survival statutes
“We believe this tragedy was preventable,” said Nathaniel L. Foote, partner at Andreozzi + Foote. “When a school district receives repeated reports that a child is being targeted because of his race and disability, the law requires action. Schools cannot ignore documented complaints and clear warning signs. The consequences of inaction can be devastating.”
The lawsuit demands a jury trial.
“Families should be able to trust that when they report discriminatory bullying, school officials will investigate and protect their child. When schools fail to act, the consequences can be irreversible.” Foote added.
About Andreozzi + Foote
Andreozzi + Foote is one of the nation’s leading sexual abuse law firms with a history of representing survivors in cases against large and powerful organizations including Penn State University, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Catholic Church. The trauma-informed Pennsylvania-based sexual abuse lawyers at Andreozzi + Foote are committed to obtaining life-changing results for victims and their families. Managing Partner Ben Andreozzi hosts "Justice Interrupted," a podcast that gives survivors of child abuse and their advocates a national platform. For more information, visit www.victimscivilattorneys.com.
Media Contact
Maria Smith
Andreozzi + Foote
marias@vca.law
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