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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

State Sues Newtown Schools for Killer’s Records

HARTFORD (CN) - The Newtown school superintendent blew off a subpoena demanding the educational records of mass murderer Adam Lanza, Connecticut's Office of the Child Advocate claims in court.

Connecticut's Office of the Child Advocate sued Newtown Public Schools and its interim superintendent John R. Reed, in Superior Court.

It subpoenaed the records under its duty to investigate "the death of a child in out-of-home care or whose death was due to unexpected or unexplained causes," the Child Advocate says in the lawsuit.

The State's Child Fatality Review Panel voted in January to investigate the death of the 20 first-graders and five school employees whom Lanza murdered on Dec. 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary school.

Lanza attended Newtown public schools.

The Child Fatality Review Panel seeks to "facilitate development of prevention strategies to address identified trends and patterns of risk and to improve coordination of services for children and families in the state."

Former Child Advocate Jamey Bell subpoenaed the school records of Lanza, who was 20 when he murdered the children, his mother, teachers and then killed himself.

The subpoena was issued in March. Newtown Public Schools has not released the records.

The Child Advocate seeks Lanza's psychological reports and evaluations, report cards, attendance records, nursing reports and notes, social work records, disciplinary records, education plans, and any communications with his family.

The lawsuit was filed by Assistant Attorney General Philip Miller. The office declined to comment on the case.

Danbury State's Attorney Stephen Sedensky III expects his investigation of the case to be completed by the fall.

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