Year Since Lawsuit, Family Speaks Out

Mississippi ranks seventh in the nation when it comes to bullying.
An ongoing lawsuit claims bullying led to the death of a seventh grade student from Moss Point. News 25’s Gina Tomlinson sat down with the family who says bullying was the reason they lost 12-year-old Lorel Malone.
Still feeling the pain from losing her 12-year-old grandson, Mary B. Jones says Lorel Malone would still be alive if he was never bullied at Magnolia Middle School in Moss Point. “One day when they called me, I just couldn’t take it. I couldn’t believe it.”
Malone’s parents are suing the Moss Point School District after the seventh grader died in March 2014. Filed a year ago, the lawsuit blames his death on the constant bullying by other students which the family says the school should have stopped. Lorel died in the hospital, his family says injured from a fight at the school. Lorel’s brother, Kiwon Nobles, said, “He loved his family. He loved everybody. He was a good person.”
According to his grandmother, Lorel was new at the middle school and says his father met with the school more than once about the 12-year-old being harassed by other students. “He said, ‘I don’t wanna go to that school.’”
It’s been two years since the death of Lorel Malone. Moss Point school officials say they’ve increased the amount of anti-bullying programs within their schools. Miriam Spain is a counselor at Escatawpa Elementary. She said, “I use a curriculum called the “Safe and Caring School” and so each month we just explore different things. The Golden Rule is something we keep going back to; treat others how you’d like to be treated.”
The Golden Rule is more critical than ever, especially for the family of Lorel Malone. “You never know what the person is going through. How they get treated at home. Treat others how you want to be treated,” said Nobles.
The attorney on Malone’s case tells News 25 a court hearing is in the works and he would not like to comment on the pending litigation of the lawsuit.