Nationwide — In Ocala, Florida, the dad and mom of 10-year-old Louis Johnson III, often called “LJ,” have filed a wrongful demise lawsuit in opposition to the Marion County Faculty Board, almost two years after their son’s tragic demise by suicide. Tyka Johnson and Louis Johnson Jr. allege within the lawsuit, filed on April 21, 2025, that their son was relentlessly bullied by his fifth-grade trainer at Legacy Elementary Faculty, resulting in extreme despair and nervousness. The lawsuit accuses the trainer, listed as Donna White in court docket paperwork however recognized at school data as Daybreak White, of humiliating LJ in entrance of his friends and inspiring classmates to affix within the bullying.
In accordance with WCJB, the dad and mom declare that White constantly insulted LJ, calling him “silly” and telling him he “didn’t know something” throughout class. In accordance with the lawsuit, White would usually mock LJ in entrance of different college students and encourage them to agree together with her, additional isolating the younger boy. They allege that regardless of their repeated complaints to highschool officers about White’s conduct, no corrective motion was taken, in the end permitting the psychological abuse to proceed unchecked. The household is demanding a trial by jury for all points associated to their claims.
Following LJ’s demise on April 27, 2023, his dad and mom returned to Legacy Elementary Faculty to distribute “Suicide Prevention” flyers, which detailed the allegations in opposition to White. In a subsequent investigation accomplished in June 2023, greater than two dozen college students — together with twelve who shared a classroom with LJ — have been interviewed about White’s conduct. Many described her as horrifying and reported that she would generally make college students cry, ridicule them for improper solutions, and publicly focus on their grades, making a hostile classroom surroundings.
The investigation in the end concluded that White had chronically inflicted psychological misery on college students via verbal insults, humiliation, and embarrassment. Because of this, the Marion County Faculty Board selected to not renew her contract. Nonetheless, the Johnson household asserts that the varsity board’s preliminary inaction following their complaints constituted negligence, immediately contributing to their son’s emotional deterioration and tragic demise.
Past their authorized actions, LJ’s household additionally launched a GoFundMe marketing campaign to assist cowl medical and funeral bills. Remembering LJ’s vibrant spirit, the household shared that he liked spending time on the seaside, catching crabs, experimenting with TikTok recipes, and advocating for the homeless. “He was a much-loved son, brother, uncle, and pal,” they wrote. “For these of you who knew him, you have been the fortunate ones. He would gentle up any room together with his infectious smile.”
As of Monday, a consultant for the Marion County Faculty Board had not responded to requests for remark concerning the lawsuit or the allegations in opposition to White. The case shines a harsh gentle on the rising issues surrounding college bullying and the accountability of academic establishments to guard weak college students.
