Family of teen girl who died by suicide sue Dearborn Heights Annapolis principal, district for $25M

DETROIT (FOX 2) - If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text to 741-741.

CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK for free and confidential emotional support. 

It was May when students staged a walkout at Annapolis High School in Dearborn Heights - demanding to know why popular principal Aaron Mollett - had been suspended.

Shortly after he was reinstated and Superintendent Tyrone Weeks - was placed on administrative leave. All of it happened after the suicide of a student there - 14-year-old Selena Perez.

"They knew that she had a history of suicidal ideation," said Brooke Mathis, an attorney from Koussan Law. "That she was under the intoxication of marijuana on the date of her death, and they still let her leave the school premises - alone."

The family of Selena Perez has now filed a lawsuit in federal court against the district - the superintendent Tyrone Weeks and principal Aaron Mollett.  Court filings ask for at least $25 million in damages.

"We think he should lose his job because he had advance knowledge of her suicidal ideation and marijuana intoxication - and without notifying even her parents - at the very least - that contributed to her cause of death," Mathis said.

Attorneys Brooke Mathis and Ali Koussan say on May 1st - Selena's teacher sent her to the principal's office because she appeared to be intoxicated - she was high on marijuana.

But they say - that's not what Mollett told Selena's parents.

"The principal called her parents - he told the parents she would be in trouble for tossing water bottles,  flipping water bottles - something completely innocuous that wouldn't raise any concerns normally," Koussan said.

But that was far from what was happening.

Selena Perez

"The reality of it - she was intoxicated - she has this history of mental unwellness and he had an obligation to not only report that to the parents, but to report that to the authorities," Koussan said.

District policy mandated police be contacted and Selena be suspended because she was under the influence, but that didn't happen.

"They failed to comply with their own code of conduct which would require that they report this," he said.

The attorneys say Mollett had been Selena's principal in middle school - and knew she had a history of self-harm.

"He also asked her to pull up her sleeves while she was in the principal's office, which he did not tell the parents" Mathis said. "He was looking for signs of cutting herself - self-harm,"

"None of that got relayed to the parents, though, and she was left to leave the school on her own and fend for herself essentially," Koussan said.

About an hour later, her stepfather found her in the basement - she had taken her life by hanging.

Dearborn Heights police have conducted their own investigation into the circumstances of her death. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office is now reviewing it for possible charges against Aaron Mollett.

"We're not discounting that he may have done right by many students - he's well liked - he's done right by many students and many parents - it seems so," Koussan said. "However that doesn't alleviate of him of his obligation to follow their own code of conduct."

Attorneys are not saying just how much they are seeking in compensation for the family - only that no amount of money will ever make things right.

"There's no quantity you can place on your child's life," Koussan said. "But that's the only relief you can get from the courts in circumstances like this."

FOX 2 did not hear back from the school district when we requested a comment.

Selena Perez

If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text to 741-741.

CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK for free and confidential emotional support.