VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Szilvia Polereczki said her family is broken after a male student attacked her 13-year-old son at Hinson Middle School last month, and posted video of the attack on social media.
"When I saw the video, I'm screaming because this is my son," Polereczki said.
Polereczki said her son never had any interaction with the boy until the boy sent him a friend request on social media over Thanksgiving break. The mother said her son didn't feel comfortable accepting the request and was attacked the following Monday. Polereczki said the school failed to protect her son, who's only been in the country for less than a year and is an honor roll student.
"He's hurt emotionally, physically. We spent the day at the ER. I know the incident from him, not from the school, because nobody called me," she said.
The Polereczki family said they plan to sue the boy's family and the Volusia County School Board for lack of supervision in common areas and failing to notify them or provide care for their son.
"The parents need to be the ones who are constantly checking in with their children because the school board isn't going to do it for you. And, we cannot trust, that we've now seen, that the school board will have sufficient supervision on campus to ensure the safety of your child," attorney Jason Harr said.
Harr also said he's filing for an internal investigation into why the parents weren't notified. The family said they've since removed their son from Hinson Middle School and will be pursuing other options.
"I put my trust to this public school, but I don't trust them anymore," Polereczki said.
The Volusia County School District said it can't comment on litigation, much less intended litigation.