Parents of Brooklyn Cook File Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Benjamin and Sarah Cook have sued Jennings County School Corporation after their 11-year-old daughter's suicide amid reported bullying, sexual abuse.

CohenMalad, LLP has filed a federal civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the parents of Brooklyn Cook, a fifth-grade student at North Vernon Elementary School who died by suicide on February 17, 2025.

The complaint details accounts from the 2024–2025 school year, where Brooklyn was subjected to severe and pervasive bullying, sexual harassment, and sexual touching by male classmates. These students repeatedly told Brooklyn to kill herself, physically groped her at school, and sent abusive messages.

Our clients allege these incidents were reported numerous times by Brooklyn, her friends, and staff to North Vernon Elementary School teachers, counselors, and administrators in the Jennings County School Corporation.

Despite repeated reports, clear signs of emotional distress, and specific warnings about sexual assault concerns and suicide threats, we believe school officials failed to take reasonable and effective steps to protect Brooklyn or remove the offending students from her classroom, even though similar action had stopped bullying the prior school year.

On behalf of Brooklyn’s parents, the complaint alleges that this failure to act allowed the abuse to continue and escalate, contributing to Brooklyn’s severe psychological harm and death. Through this federal lawsuit, Brooklyn’s family seeks accountability from Jennings County School Corporation and individual school officials.

Counts in the complaint include:

• COUNT I: Inadequate Polices and Protection, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 Against all Defendants
• COUNT II: Violation of Title IX, 20 U.S.C. 38 § 1681 et seq. Against Jennings County School Corporation, Superintendent Nicole Johnson and Principal Leonard Collett
• COUNT III: Wrongful Death Against All Defendants
• COUNT IV: Negligence Against All Defendants
• COUNT V: Negligent Hiring, Training, Supervision and Retention Against JCSC, and Defendants Johnson, Collett and Hill
• COUNT VI: Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress Against All Defendants

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View/download images of Brooklyn Cook, approved for media use courtesy of Benjamin and Sarah Cook.

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