A young Lynn boy apparently confined to a wheelchair as a result of injuries sustained while he was a student at the Brickett School has sued the city for $35 million claiming he was bullied and that his injured spine is the result of an attack that was made upon him while at school.
This suit against the city comes nearly two years after local police and school officials failed to substantiate the young man’s claims that he was pushed down a flight of stairs at the school by a fellow classmate who repeatedly bullied him.
Mathew Mumbauer, the Lynn young man claiming he was bullied in the suit, is represented by Attorney Donald Grady.
In the complaint served on the city Brady asserts that his client was affected by bullying and in the most dramatic way.
“Mathew had been the subject of unredressed bullying at the Brickett School,” he wrote.
City Solicitor Michael Barry said the suit was unfounded.
“The city of Lynn is not liable in this case and will defend against it vigorously,” Barry said.
In the complaint Grady filed, he claims Mumbauer has been confined to a wheelchair since the time of the alleged event and that the former Brickett School student is cared for by his family and relies completely upon them for his immediate and remote care needs.
Grady claims Mumbauer’s injuries are permanent and that they will have permanent residual effects.
However, some residents who had children at the Brickett School at the time of the alleged bullying incident defended the school’s reputation as a safe place to learn.
“If the assertion is that outright repeated acts of bullying were allowed and observed by school personnel then that assertion is wrong,” said one parent who asked that their anonymity be assured.
“Certainly some kids might not get along with others at the school – but this happens at every school. Besides,” she said, “the principal and administrators at the school are heads up people who care and who know what they’re doing.”
The mother of the alleged victim failed to file a police report following the incident.
Doctors who examined the young man at the time said they determined he was not seriously injured in any way.
Lynn police detectives also did their part in investigating the alleged indicent but failed to identity a perpetrator. In addition, when questioned, Mumbauer was unable to idenbtify his alleged attacker.