Parents of suicide sue over bullying

MENTOR, Ohio, April 3 (UPI) -- An Ohio couple have filed a lawsuit against their son's school, claiming that teachers and officials failed to stop bullying that drove him to suicide.

William and Janis Mohat told ABC News they want no money from Mentor High School. The federal suit asks for an order that the school put an anti-bullying program in place.

Eric Mohat was 17 when he took his own life. A bully allegedly suggested to him that day that he go home and shoot himself -- and that is what he did.

"When you lose a child like this it destroys you in ways you can't even describe," William Mohat said.

His parents say Eric was a gentle boy who liked music and theater. They say some of the worst bullying, with Eric being called a "fag" and similar names, was in a math class taught by Thomas Horvath, who is also a sports coach.

The suit, filed March 27, names Horvath and two administrators, Jacqueline A. Hoynes and Joseph Spiccia, as defendants.

The Mohats say three members of Eric's class killed themselves in 2007 and bullying was a factor in those deaths as well.