Family of New Jersey girl, 12, who died by suicide after bullying to receive $9.1M
School District Pays Multi Million Settlement in Mallory Grossman Suicide Case
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.
A New Jersey school district has settled with the family of Mallory Grossman, a 12-year-old girl who died by suicide in 2017 after enduring relentless bullying, by agreeing to pay $9.1 million. This marks the largest-ever payout in a bullying case in the state.
Mallory Grossman was a sixth grader at Copeland Middle School. She took her life on June 14, 2017, after suffering months of bullying by her classmates. Her parents, Dianne and Seth Grossman, filed a lawsuit against Rockaway Township, its school district, and school administrators, alleging that they failed to protect their daughter despite repeated pleas.
The bullying included texts and online posts that left Mallory ostracized from her classmates. One text included a picture of Mallory walking alone with the words "you have no friends." Another classmate asked her "when are you going to kill yourself?" in front of other students.
Mallory's death sparked a national debate about bullying and led to the passage of Mallory's Law in New Jersey in 2022, imposing new requirements on schools to report and act on bullying complaints. Her parents also founded Mallory's Army, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating about the dangers of bullying, and produced a documentary titled "Mallory" in 2020.
The Rockaway Township district initially denied allegations that it hadn't done enough to stop the harassment, calling the claims "categorically false."
The Grossmans' attorney, Bruce Nagel, expressed hope that the settlement would send a clear message to schools around the country about the importance of protecting children from bullying. Advocates like Stuart Green, founder of the New Jersey Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention, believe that progress has been made but that gaps remain in current anti-bullying laws.
Dianne Grossman, Mallory's mother, stated that she and her husband are satisfied with the settlement and ready to move forward, continuing to lend their voice to the epidemic of bullying.
The settlement in the Mallory Grossman case is a significant milestone in the fight against bullying. It underscores the urgent need for schools and communities to take stronger action to protect and support vulnerable children. The legacy of Mallory Grossman continues to inspire change and awareness, but the work is far from over.
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat online.
