A Maryland family claims that their son was neglected by his private school, leading to his death by suicide in 2022.
A Maryland family claims that their son was neglected by his private school, leading to his death by suicide in 2022. Dawn and Scott Schnell believe that The Landon School, located in Bethesda, did not have a documented anti-bullying policy at the time of their son’s harassment.
Charlie Schnell transferred to the school as a freshman after experiencing bullying at his previous institution. He was an active and energetic teenager involved in football, lacrosse, and wrestling.
The 81-page lawsuit states that during his sophomore year, Charlie Schnell experienced “the death of a classmate and close friend's father, fear from multiple school shooting threats made by a fellow student, a serious concussion, and sustained bullying and isolation.”
In a classroom journal assignment, Schnell wrote this: “If there were a shooting I wouldn’t want to run and leave all my friends but I also wouldn’t want to get shot so it’s very contradicting. So right now I would sum everything up to being tired, in pain, hopeful and worried.”
A Landon School teacher failed to notify Schnell’s parents of this entry, in which he showed clear signs of emotional distress. Still, teachers deemed the sophomore “in a zone of possible danger.” Later, the same teacher was reportedly seen “marching” around the school with the students who previously threatened and bullied Schnell.
Dawn and Scott Schnell claim that The Landon School did not protect their son although the institution was aware of bullying, damaging rumors, and the vulnerability of the sophomore student.
On March 15, 2022, Charlie Schnell was forced to withdraw from The Landon School. Shortly afterwards, on March 27, 2022, he was found dead by suicide in his family’s home. Dawn and Scott Schnell discovered their son hanging from a noose made from a Landon banner in his bedroom. They continue to demand justice for Charlie, insisting on a full investigation into the bullying he experienced. Additionally, they believe that a strong anti-bullying policy and mandatory teacher training should be implemented at The Landon School.
The Schnell’s family attorney said in a statement: “While nothing can bring Charlie back, the Schnells hope this lawsuit will bring greater awareness to the pervasiveness of bullying-related suicides, serve as a cautionary tale for other families and, in this era of a teen mental health crisis, spur schools to do their duty in recognizing and responding to student trauma and suicide risk factors.”
Authors: Andy Goldwasser and Alexis Kabat
