An Italian exchange student is dead after taking his own life.
The student, Claudio Mandia, was 17 years old and had been studying at an elite Westchester boarding school. Mandia had reportedly been placed in isolation by school officials after he was suspected of cheating, his family said.
He was found dead in a room at EF Academy in Mount Pleasant from an apparent hanging.
Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.
The timing was simply horrific. It was the day before Mandia's 18th birthday. His parents and three siblings had been on their way to see him for a visit.
According to the family's attorney, George Bochetto, they had flown from Italy into JFK Airport to celebrate the young man's birthday. Instead of a joyous arrival, they were met by police and school officials, who told them their forever 17-year-old was gone.
“It came as a complete and devastating shock,” Bochetto said of that life-altering moment. “They had no idea.” The attorney said that the family found out later from students and other sources at the school that Mandia had been placed in "isolation" prior to his death.
In a statement, the family wrote that they believed Mandia had been placed in isolation as "punishment." The young man's uncle told The Daily Beast that he believed his nephew suffered “a sudden illness” from the isolation that quickly became a desperate situation.
“Claudio was a wonderful person and student and he couldn't wait for his family to come to New York from Italy to celebrate his eighteenth birthday,” the family said in the statement.
Once Mandia's autopsy reports come back, the family plans to take legal action against the school.
