WPVI-TV
Howard High School of Technology, Wilmington, Del.
Howard High School of Technology, Wilmington, Del.
Howard High School of Technology, Wilmington, Del.
Howard High School of Technology, Wilmington, Del.
Howard High School of Technology, Wilmington, Del.

Family of Delaware girl who died in bathroom attack sues district

April 3, 2018
Amy Inita Joyner-Francis died in 2016 from a pre-existing heart condition after a fight in the bathroom of a Wilmington high school.

The family of a student who died in 2016 after being attacked by classmates in a high school bathroom in Delaware is suing her attackers and the school district.

The News Journal reports that the family of Amy Inita Joyner-Francis, 16,  filed the suit in New Castle County Superior Court. It seeks compensatory and punitive damages from the New Castle County Vo-Tech School District, which oversees Howard High School of Technology in Wilmington.

Also named as defendants are Trinity Carr and Zion Snow, students who were charged in the attack.

Amy died in April 2016 after she was attacked by classmates. She died from a pre-existing heart condition.

The suit argues that school officials' failure to monitor students' bathroom activities amounts to negligence. The filing also claims and that her attackers acted recklessly. 

Roger Landon, an attorney representing the Joyner-Francis family, says school officials should have done more to prevent such an attack. 

The suit contends that the the school missed warning signs in the days leading up to the attack. 

Trinity Carr was 17 when a Family Court judge found her guilty of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree criminal conspiracy in the death. Snow was found guilty of third-degree conspiracy.

Last month, the Delaware Supreme Court overturned Carr's homicide conviction, stating Carr could not have foreseen that the attack would cause Joyner-Francis to die from cardiac arrest. 

Sponsored Recommendations

How to design flexible learning spaces that teachers love and use

Unlock the potential of flexible learning spaces with expert guidance from school districts and educational furniture providers. Discover how to seamlessly integrate adaptive ...

Blurring the Lines in Education Design: K–12 to Higher Ed to Corporate America

Discover the seamless integration of educational and corporate design principles, shaping tomorrow's leaders from kindergarten to boardroom. Explore innovative classroom layouts...

Room to Learn: Furniture Solutions for Education

Preparing students for the future. Utilizing our experience in the education market, we offer a dynamic selection of products that pair technology with furniture to help stimulate...

Transforming Education: A Case Study in Progressive Classroom Design

Discover how Workspace Interiors and the Baldwin School District reshaped learning environments in Long Island, New York, creating pedagogically responsive spaces that foster ...