ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. — The family of a 12-year-old Rockdale County student who died in fall 2025 is now suing the district.
The family of Edwards Middle Schooler Brandon Vargas announced their lawsuit, focused on concerns about student safety, transparency and how the Rockdale County School District responded to Vargas’ death.
Attorneys for the family said they are seeking accountability related to what they allege are systemic failures after repeated concerns were raised and not meaningfully addressed.
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The law firm also said this is the fifth time it is involved in legal action against the district in two years.
Vargas died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Oct. 22, 2025 after the family said, through their attorney, that he had “endured repeated verbal harassment and bullying” from a teacher while he was in the sixth grade.
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Vargas is described by representatives for the family as an academically included student with no prior history of school-related bullying, but was said to have started experiencing distress at the start of the 2025-2026 school year.
The family said they had repeatedly raised concerns with school officials about ongoing verbal mistreatment, public humiliation and emotional distress in the classroom caused by Vargas’ sixth grade math teacher, but no meaningful corrective actions were taken.
“Brandon’s tragic death underscores a pattern of inaction and systemic failure within the Rockdale County School System,” Attorney Kianna Chennault said on behalf of the family. “Despite repeated warnings and clear signs of distress, the district failed to protect Brandon from ongoing mistreatment and emotional harm. His family is seeking accountability not only for what happened to Brandon, but for the many students who continue to face similar neglect across Rockdale schools.”
The family, through their attorneys, is pursuing claims under both state and federal law for wrongful death, negligence, negligent supervision and retention, emotional distress and violating Vargas’ civil rights.
They are seeking financial accountability and changes to school district policies related to anti-bullying protections, suicide risk and mental health training for teachers and transparent complaint tracking and escalation procedures.
The family also wants an independent review policy for allegations of educator misconduct and an improved parental notification standard.
“This was a preventable loss that could have been avoided if appropriate anti-bullying protections had been enforced,” Attorney Sam Shitta-Bey said. “This case highlights the critical need for school districts to take bullying and student mental health concerns seriously—before irreversible harm occurs.”
Channel 2 Action News reached out to the Rockdale County School District and received the following response:
Rockdale County Public Schools continues to mourn the tragic loss of this student, and our hearts remain with the family and all who have been impacted. The safety and well‑being of our students are our highest priority, and we take any allegation concerning student welfare with the utmost seriousness.
Following a thorough internal review, <u>the claims were not substantiated.</u> We are aware of the recent public statements issued by the family’s attorney; however, we believe it is inappropriate and unproductive to litigate complex and sensitive matters through the media.
At this time, the district has received only a demand letter from the family’s attorney and has not been provided with any additional information or legal filings. Should the attorney file a lawsuit, we will zealously defend the district against the allegations.
— Rockdale County School District
Editor’s note: This article previously stated the student died at school. The article has been updated.
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