Middletown, NJ – A heartbreaking legal battle is continuing in Monmouth County, New Jersey, as the family of Jocelyn Walters, a 14-year-old who took her own life in September 2022, has filed a lawsuit against the Middletown Township Public School District, its administrators, and several individuals. The suit, filed on May 7, 2024, in the Superior Court of New Jersey (Docket No. MON-L-001513-24), claims that pervasive bullying, negligence, and inadequate mental health care contributed to the teen’s tragic death.
The plaintiffs—Fred J. Walters Jr., as Administrator of Jocelyn’s estate, along with Fred J. Walters Jr., Solangie Walters (Jocelyn’s parents), and Keira Walters (her sister)—are represented by Jeffrey R. Youngman of Feitlin, Youngman, Karas & Gerson, LLC. The complaint names a wide array of defendants, including the Middletown Township Board of Education, Superintendent Mary Ellen Walker, Principal Patricia Vari-Cartier, Assistant Principal Christopher Regenio, counselors Jacquelin Duca and Ryan McCabe, a minor student identified as J.M., ex-student Mae McEwan, nurse practitioner Mark Sedlak, and his employer, Rising Swell Mental Health, LLC, among others.
A Pattern of Harassment and Inaction
According to the 25-page complaint, Jocelyn Walters, a student at Middletown High School North, endured relentless harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) during the 2021-2022 school year and into the following year. The lawsuit alleges that despite repeated complaints from Jocelyn, her family, and other students, school officials failed to intervene or provide adequate support.
The complaint details a series of distressing incidents. It claims that J.M., a fellow student who initially posed as Jocelyn’s friend, extracted personal information from her and then used it to humiliate her publicly, including through anonymous social media accounts like “MHSN Clowns” and “Confessions.” J.M. allegedly cyberbullied Jocelyn by removing her from group chats and cropping her face out of photos to isolate her further.
Mae McEwan, J.M.’s older sister and a former student, is accused of sending threatening and derogatory text messages, including calling Jocelyn a “little c-nt” and threatening physical violence.
Jocelyn reported the abuse to school counselor Jacquelin Duca and documented her suffering in a Creative Writing/Journalism class, but the lawsuit asserts that no meaningful action was taken. In a desperate act, Jocelyn locked herself in a school bathroom, only emerging after another student intervened—yet, the school allegedly did nothing to address her cries for help.
The bullying culminated in a suicide attempt in March 2022, after which Jocelyn was hospitalized. Even then, the complaint states, J.M. continued to taunt her, posting in a group chat about “instigating her” to provoke a reaction that could get Jocelyn in trouble.
Fred J. Walters met with school officials, including Regenio, Duca, and McCabe, to express concerns, but the lawsuit claims their pleas were ignored.
Mental Health Care Failures
The lawsuit also targets Mark Sedlak, a nurse practitioner at Rising Swell Mental Health, LLC, who treated Jocelyn on August 26, 2022, for depression and suicidal ideation.
According to the complaint, Sedlak negligently doubled Jocelyn’s antidepressant dosage without knowing her prior prescription, failed to notify her parents of her deteriorating condition, and did not recommend hospitalization or schedule a follow-up visit. Less than two weeks later, on September 9, 2022, Jocelyn died by suicide at her home.
The complaint further alleges that on September 8 and 9, 2022, Jocelyn visited the school nurse, who took no appropriate action despite her documented history of mental health struggles and prior suicide attempt.
Legal Claims and Broader Implications
The lawsuit comprises 13 counts, including common law negligence, violations of the New Jersey Tort Claims Act, negligent hiring and supervision, vicarious liability, discrimination under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, wrongful death, and claims under the Survivors’ Act. The plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages, interest, attorneys’ fees, and other relief.
The complaint cites alarming statistics to underscore the urgency of the issue: a 62% increase in youth suicide rates from 2007 to 2021 (per the CDC), a 60% rise in girls considering suicide over the past decade, and studies linking bullying to suicidal behavior. It references New Jersey’s Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights (N.J.S.A. 18A:37-13) and a state Supreme Court ruling that schools have a paramount duty to protect students from foreseeable harm.
The plaintiffs argue that the Middletown Township School District fostered a “culture that permitted pervasive HIB and abuse,” failed to enforce anti-bullying policies, and neglected its duty to ensure Jocelyn’s safety. They also allege discrimination based on Jocelyn’s gender, sexual orientation, and/or disability, claiming the school’s inaction created a hostile environment in violation of the LAD.
A Family’s Grief and a Community’s Reckoning
For the Walters family, the lawsuit is both a pursuit of justice and a plea for accountability. Fred J. Walters, who discovered his daughter minutes after her suicide attempt and was present during her final moments, brings a separate “Portee claim” for the severe emotional distress he endured.
The district said it will not comment publicly on the lawsuit, but will respond via the courts and through the case.
As the case moves forward, it could set a precedent for how New Jersey schools address bullying and mental health crises, potentially prompting broader reforms. For now, the Walters family waits for their day in court, hoping to honor Jocelyn’s memory by ensuring no other child suffers as she did.