A Chicago boy who survived a suicide attempt in 2019 that left him with permanent brain damage has died, and Chicago Public Schools agreed to a $1.25 million settlement with his family, officials said Monday.
Jamari Dent, who was 11 when he tried to take his own life after months of alleged bullying at two Chicago public schools, died in June at age 13 from complications linked to the brain injury he suffered in the attempt, according to the Chicago Sun-Times and family statements. The settlement must be approved by the Chicago Board of Education.
Background
Jamari attempted suicide on Feb. 18, 2019, after his mother, Teirra Black, repeatedly told school officials that her son was being relentlessly bullied by classmates and, she alleged, by some staff members at Evers Elementary and later Carter G. Woodson Elementary School in the Bronzeville neighborhood. The lawsuit filed by Black said the bullying included verbal taunts such as being called “stupid,” “dumb” and other slurs, and that her requests for help were ignored.
Medical treatment kept Jamari alive on a ventilator, but the lack of oxygen during his suicide attempt caused irreversible brain damage and left him unable to walk, talk or breathe on his own. He remained hospitalized for more than two years before his death.
The lawsuit filed in 2019 alleged that Chicago Public Schools failed to protect Jamari despite repeated complaints from his family. In voting to approve the settlement, the district acknowledged the loss but did not comment publicly on allegations of misconduct by staff members referenced in court filings.
