ROCKVILLE, Md. — A judge in Montgomery County has advanced a wrongful-death lawsuit brought by the parents of a teenager who committed suicide after withdrawing from an all-boys preparatory school in Maryland. The parents allege that the Landon School should have foreseen their son’s distress, potentially preventing his death.
Montgomery County Circuit Judge Louis Leibowitz stated schools have a duty to mitigate risks of self-harm among students, aligning with community efforts toward detection and early intervention. The decision enables the suit, primarily focusing on the wrongful-death claim, to proceed toward a trial scheduled for next May.
The litigation centers around Charlie Schnell, a 16-year-old who tragically ended his life in 2022 using a school banner in his bedroom, just 13 days after his parents withdrew him from Landon School amid serious allegations. Schnell had been accused of drawing a violent, racially charged image and showing it to a Black classmate, which his parents contested, saying school officials had never actually seen the drawing.
Following the incident, Charlie’s parents, Dawn and Scott Schnell, claim the school mishandled the situation, contributing to an environment that isolated and bullied their son both in-person and online. These elements, they argue, directly impacted Charlie’s mental health, leading up to his death.
Furthermore, the judge is allowing the Schnells’ attorneys to gather testimonies from Charlie’s former classmates and school officials through depositions—key to examining the school’s response to Charlie’s mental health and disciplinary issues. On the other hand, Landon’s legal team remains positioned to request the case’s dismissal, aiming for a summary judgment before the trial begins.
In the months leading to his tragic decision, Charlie faced multiple adversities. His father’s friend committed suicide, and he was disturbed by a schoolmate’s non-credible threat of violence. The cumulative impact of these events, paired with academic pressures, repeated infections, and a concussion from wrestling, burdened him significantly.
Leibowitz’s ruling discussed several personal struggles of Charlie’s, noting that some were indicative of the foreseeable risk of suicide. Notably, his persistent academic and health struggles, particularly post-concussion, were highlighted by his mother in communications with the school about her son feeling overwhelmed.
The school, in previous statements, has expressed deep compassion for the Schnell family’s loss while maintaining that they could not have foreseen Charlie’s actions, especially since they claim there were no apparent signs of his suicidal intentions while enrolled.
The ruling did dismiss some claims, including ones for intentional infliction of emotional distress and violations of Maryland’s consumer protection act, stating that, even if substantiated, they did not meet the high legal thresholds required.
As the case approaches trial, the legal arguments will likely delve deeper into the school’s responsibilities and Charlie’s experiences, setting a precedent for how educational institutions handle severe student mental health and disciplinary issues.
For immediate mental health support, individuals are encouraged to contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for help and counseling.