Suit Alleges Croton Student Bullied After Sexual Assault

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY — The father of a former Croton-Harmon High School student has filed a federal lawsuit describing cruel bullying of the victim of a sex assault by her schoolmates.

The bullies had the whole student body intimidated, the atmosphere was toxic, and school and district officials did nothing to stop it but hold an assembly about making good choices, according to the suit suit filed in Manhattan Federal Court at the end of August.

Croton-Harmon High School is a very small school, with about 525 students in grades 9-12. The village of Croton-on-Hudson has just over 8,000 residents.

The lawsuit alleges that the girl, identified as Jane Doe, was sexually assaulted in October 2016 at a party by two male classmates while a third stood lookout. She reported it to Yorktown police and to the school. Two of the boys were arrested and orders of protection were issued.

A subsequent campaign of bullying and harassment by the boys' friends in person and on social media spread from Jane to her friends and the wider school community. For example, students were ordered by the bullies to "block" her from their social media accounts or face harassment, the lawsuit says.

Despite repeated requests from her family and some in the community, school and district officials did not stop the campaign, the lawsuit says. Finally the family had to move away.

District officials would not comment on litigation. They said an investigation was ongoing by the Westchester County District Attorney's Office. A spokeswoman there said they would not comment on a case involving minors.