GEORGETOWN, Ohio | A lawsuit has been filed against Western Brown Local School District and specific staff members by the family of a WBSD student who died in 2012.

According to the suit, Chance R. Smith of Hamersville, Ohio, was 16 when he committed suicide Feb. 7, 2012.

A combination of incidents allegedly led up to the boy’s death, including a personal relationship with his girlfriend and incidents in the week or so before he died.

According to Smith’s parents, Burley and Michelle Smith, the school and staff did not do enough to prevent Chance’s death.

In addition to naming the district, the lawsuit also named past WBSD Superintendent Chris Burrows; Heather Cooper, WB High School principal; Dusty Gray, former WBHS vice principal; and Scott Smith, teacher and former WBHS wrestling coach, as defendants.

The parents claim WBSD had a duty to intervene in student development on and off campus.

According to the suit, WBSD and the staff members “individually and collectively owed a duty to act in the best interest of Western Brown Local Schools and its students and to provide education in a safe environment and to intervene in student development both on and off the school campus and to interact with family and community to insure the safety of its students.”

Circumstances surrounding a possible claim of intent to harm himself or others was known by school officials, his parents stated in the claim, saying Chance’s death was a result of the defendants’ actions, claiming Chance’s death “was a direct and proximate result of the actions of the defendants … and [Chance’s] death was a direct and proximate result of the reckless and wanton misconduct of defendants … who failed to exercise the requisite care toward Chance R. Smith, to whom it owed a duty of care and knowing there were circumstances where there was a great possibility of harm based upon information available to them.”

According to the suit, Chance and two other students were involved in an incident where text messages and written notes with threats were found and reported to Mount Orab Police.

Cooper allegedly “commenced an investigation into the exchange and source of text/written messages amongst a number of students including [Chance] which arose to sexual bullying and the threat to the personal safety of members of the school’s student body, including the lives of (Chance) and members of his family.” The parents then claim that based upon information acquired on Feb. 2, (2012), Cooper “focused attention on [Chance] causing her to initiate interaction with [Chance] Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, regarding the content and source of the text/written messages between him and at least two other students.”

During the investigation, the parents claim, Cooper inspected a student’s locker and found notes that threatened the life of Chance and members of Chance’s family.

The Smiths claim they were not made aware of the investigation or other information they may have used to intervene and prevent the death of Chance.

the parents claim they “received no communication from the school concerning their son, his before mentioned activities leading up to Feb. 6, 2012, or the fact he was absent from school on Feb. 6” until Michelle Smith received a call at her place of employment from Cooper.

Michelle Smith claims she “was not apprised of the serious nature of the events of the preceding days, her son’s actions, threats of serious physical harm to himself or others.” and, “… were unaware of the serious, troubling, and life threatening actions and communications claimed attributable to (Chance) until after his death.”

Chance went missing during the late afternoon of Feb. 6, 2012; his body was found the next day.

The Smiths are demanding judgment against the defendants in an amount in excess of $25,000, based on their claim “school officials knew … there were threats of physical violence directed towards students and/or towards (Chance) himself and that such threats emanated from (Chance).”

School officials sand defendants declined to comment on the suit.