Parents of a Connecticut teen who committed suicide two days before Christmas are asking the head of the town's school system to investigate reports that he might've been the target of bullying.
The parents of Christopher Lanni wrote a letter to Westport Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon asking the district to look into whether the 14-year-old was being targeted by fellow Staples High School students before he took his own life.
"We request a thorough, professional investigation of allegations that Christopher was being bullied at school and/or on social media platforms (i.e. Instagram) by his fellow Staples students," the boy's parents said in the letter. "While we want to maintain our privacy and our son’s dignity, please consider this letter our written report and arrange accordingly for appropriate investigative action into this situation that may have affected Christopher and others. If the police need to be involved as to extent of the communications, we understand that necessity as well and respect and value their support."
Westport police say they haven't found evidence that Lanni was a victim of bullying, but they're taking another look at the case. Westport school officials say they're also cooperating with police.
The parents also asked the school system to take a second look at its policy requiring students to bring computers or mobile devices to class every day, saying that the policy could "subject kids to additional cyberbullying."
Westport schools declined to comment on Lanni's death. But according to the Connecticut Post, Landon referenced "misinformation" about Lanni's death at a school board meeting earlier this year.
