LAS VEGAS (CN) - Latino parents claim in court that parents of "mean girls" - including a police captain - refused to stop their children from bullying their "shy, diminutive" daughter and vandalizing their home.
The Cutler family sued four other families - the Darcys, the Wrights, the Satombas and the Schultzes - in Clark County Court.
Defendant Christopher Darcy is a police captain. After the vandalism, the Cutlers claim, he "engaged in a campaign of intimidation against the Cutler family," by visiting their home and suggesting they not file an insurance claim.
"This is a classic case of bullying motivated by race and other factors, with parents who are unwilling to take responsibility for their children," the Cutlers says in the complaint.
"Two mean girls obsessively bully a shy, diminutive and reserved Hispanic girl and ridicule her relentlessly over a span of time, and then vandalize her home. The parents make excuses and shirk responsibility for their children's actions."
The daughters of defendants Christopher and Cynthia Darcy and Matthew and Rhonda Wright are accused of "Tweeting" and posting online messages directed at the Cutler's daughter, M.S.
The girls, students at Sig Rogich Middle School, "repeatedly made racially derogatory comments" during classes and through social media sites, calling her "Oompa Loompa" and "Dora the Explorer," the parents say.
It came to a head on June 8, the Cutlers say, when the girls allegedly vandalized the Cutlers' home, in a "frenzied attack" that included racist drawings, olive oil, eggs, frosting, chocolate syrup, aluminum foil, Saran Wrap and toilet paper.
"A balloon was used as a racial slur," the complaint states, and hand-drawn racist pictures littered the family's lawn and driveway.
The Cutlers claim Cynthia Darcy and her daughter cleaned up the debris, but while doing so, the girl made derogatory statements about M.S., "continuing her verbal abuse and degradation of (M.S.) in the presence of her own family," the complaint states.
The Cutlers say the full damage from the vandalism "came to light the next day." "Egg and oil had damaged the seal on the driveway and the paint on the house and garage. The glass olive oil jar that shattered in the driveway had been thrown at and damaged the garage door. The total damages to the Cutlers for property damage, loss of work, counseling and treatment and/or for mental anguish, pain and suffering is, as yet, unknown."
The Cutlers claim the defendant parents "were aware of their defendant child's propensity for mischief and failed to take measures to supervise and prevent their child's wrongful behavior."
"None of the defendant parents or their children have accepted responsibility or made any effort to pay for the damages to the Cutler home. The defendant parents appear to condone the behavior, which is perpetuating further wrongful and hateful actions by their children toward" M.S.
The harassment didn't stop there, the Cutlers say. They claim the mean girls continued to torment their daughter in her high school gym class, in a conversation about a trip to Mexico and how things there are inexpensive and how the place is dirty.
Before the vandalism and harassment, the Cutlers say, their daughter never felt ashamed of her appearance or race, "but now she struggles greatly, and will need ongoing treatment for the psychological harm the defendants have caused."
The Cutlers seek at least $10,000 as punitive damages for incidents motivated by race, and an additional $10,000 for each act of "extreme and outrageous conduct" against their daughter, $10,000 for special damages, another $10,000 for general damages, and attorney's fees.
They are represented by Tara D. Newberry with Connaghan Newberry.
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