An Italian family is demanding answers after their teenage son died by suicide at a boarding school in New York, where they say he was being held in isolation as punishment.
Claudio Mandia, 17, was found dead on Saturday in his dorm at EF Academy in Westchester County. Hours later, his parents arrived at the JFK Airport to celebrate his birthday, only to hear from a school official that he was dead.
The family was devastated.
“Claudio was a wonderful person and student and he couldn’t wait for his family to come to New York from Italy to celebrate his eighteenth birthday,” a lawyer for the Mandias told The Daily Beast.
Even more disturbing, the family says Claudio’s anguish stemmed from “primitive” and “unimaginable” treatment he was receiving at the school. The Mandias told Vanity Fair that by the time he died, Claudio had been in solitary confinement for three days as “punishment for class work.”
The family called this “the direct cause of Claudio’s suicide”, and said they “intend to take action” against the school.
According to Vanity Fair, EF Academy has a policy of isolating expelled students until they can fly home or get picked up by their parents. It’s possible that Claudio had been expelled – his uncle told the Beast he was suspected of cheating – and may have been left in isolation until his family arrived.
The Mount Pleasant Police Department has said it is investigating the incident. Results from a full autopsy are still pending.
In a statement, EF Academy said it was cooperating with police.
“We are deeply, deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Claudio Mandia,” the school told the Beast. “The safety of our school community is always our top priority … We are in close contact with the local authorities who are investigating the circumstances of his death. We are heartbroken and have offered to provide whatever support Claudio’s family may require, while also mobilizing counselors and additional support for our broader school community.”
The Independent has reached out to EF Academy for further comment.
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