NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia announced March 19 that they will open a case regarding the death of Trevyan Rowe, a student in the Rochester City School District.
“Treyvan Rowe’s death was a tragedy. His family deserves answers – and all Rochester families deserve to know that their children will be safe at school,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “We’re partnering with the State Education Department to get to the bottom of what happened and ensure the district’s policies protect our children moving forward.”
Schneiderman’s Rochester Regional Office and Civil Rights Bureau will handle the case with assistance from Elia and the Offices of School Operations and Management Services, Student Support Services and Special Education, the Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Center, and district superintendents Daniel White and Jo Anne Antonucci.
“Any time there is a tragic loss of a child, we must look for answers to determine what events and procedures allowed for such a heartbreaking incident to occur,” Elia said in a statement. “Once we know all the facts, it is imperative, as state and local leaders, that we come together to make the changes needed to prevent the loss of lives so young. I thank Attorney General Schneiderman and Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle for remaining steadfast in their support of Rochester’s students and schools.”