Claudio Mandia, an Italian exchange student aged 17 hanged himself in an elite boarding school in Westchester (NY), after being isolated on suspicion of “cheating” at school, denounced his family.
Mandia was found dead on Saturday in a room of “EF Academy” in Mount Pleasant on the eve of his 18 birthday, authorities said.
His parents and three brothers flew to New York from Italy to celebrate his birthday, but instead they were met at JFK airport by police and school officials who gave them the tragic news of the young man’s death. “It was a total and devastating shock,” according to the family’s attorney, George Bochetto. “They had no idea.”
Bochetto said students and school sources later told them that Mandia had been placed in what the attorney described as “isolation” after administrators suspected she had cheated at the academy.
The lawyer stated that he is working with local investigators to reconstruct the exact sequence of events that led to Mandia’s death. He did not say exactly what the isolation ordered by the school consisted of.
The teenager was ready to graduate in May at this school that costs $62,000 dollars a year and hoped to follow his father’s path by pursuing a business career, detailed New York Post.
“Claudio was a wonderful person and student and was looking forward to having his family come to New York from Italy to celebrate his 18th birthday,” the family said in a statement. . His parents remained in New York this week to arrange for the body’s repatriation to Italy.
“It’s a tragedy”, Bochetto summed up, adding that the results of an autopsy are expected in the next few days.
“EF Academy” did not address the family’s claims in a statement. “We are deeply, deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Claudio Mandia. Our thoughts are with his family and friends here in New York and in Italy. The safety of our school community is always our top priority. We have very strict policies and procedures regarding the health and well-being of young people who are far from their home countries.”
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