CINCINNATI — The family of Emilie Olsen, a 13-year-old who died by suicide in 2014, has reached a settlement regarding the teen's death more than a decade after they filed a lawsuit accusing Fairfield City Schools of knowing about their daughter being bullied but not doing anything to prevent it.
According to the agreement, Emilie's parents, Marc and Cindi Olsen, settled for $1.25 million in compensatory damages. As part of the settlement, the school district must revise its harassment policies, which the Ohio School Board Association must review, and hire a bullying specialist. Additionally, the district court will have jurisdiction over the case for five years to ensure that Fairfield administrators follow the agreement.
The family issued the following statement regarding the settlement:
"Our family is thankful that the lawsuit has come to an end, but the memories of our sweet Emilie will never fade. We expect Fairfield City School District has learned from its mistakes and will ensure that no other family will face challenges similar to ours. We are pleased to see that the District Court is going to maintain jurisdiction over the School District’s compliance with the terms of the settlement agreement and to ensure that all agreed to additions and revisions to their anti-bullying and harassment policies are implemented and followed. "
Fairfield Schools Superintendent Billy Smith issued this statement on behalf of the school district:
"The Fairfield City School District Board of Education has approved a settlement agreement between the District and the Estate and family of Emilie Grace Olsen. The District believes this resolution serves the best interests of all parties and brings closure to a matter that has been pending for several years. Consistent with the District’s applicable insurance coverage, the settlement payment will be funded by the District’s insurance carrier. The District has no further comment."
Emilie made national headlines in 2016 when reporting in The Washington Post questioned whether the district was responsible for her death.
