Little boy starved in 'locked and secreted' room after he stopped logging into virtual classes, school blamed because it didn't report absences to CPS: Lawsuit

A 7-year-old New York lad who starved to decease portion being kept successful a "locked and secreted" room by his caregiver stopped attending virtual classes for much than a period earlier helium died, with his household blaming the boy's schoolhouse for not reporting his absences to Child Protective Services.

The Newburgh Enlarged City School District has decided to settee a suit filed by Peter Cuacuas' brother, who accused the territory and Peter's school, Temple Hill Academy, of not complying "in a timely manner" with its "reporting responsibilities" aft the 2nd grader's "absences from schoolhouse became excessive," according to the ineligible complaint.

"Had the suspect Newburgh Enlarged City School complied successful a timely mode … kid protective agencies would person investigated wherefore Peter Cuacuas was not attending school, would person discovered that helium was being locked and secreted successful a country successful the residence of Leticia Bravo, would discovered that helium was being starved to decease and would person reduced oregon prevented the symptom and suffering that Peter Cuacuas endured earlier his decease from malnutrition connected February 10, 2021," the ailment alleged.

Bravo, who was Peter's superior caregiver, is serving a 15-year situation condemnation aft she pleaded blameworthy to first-degree manslaughter successful 2022. The boy's father, Arturo Cuacuas, pleaded guilty to 1 number of criminally negligent homicide and received the maximum situation condemnation permissible nether authorities law, which is 1.33 to 4 years. As portion of his plea deal, Arturo Cuacuas agreed to cooperate successful the transgression lawsuit against Bravo, telling authorities that helium noticed his son's deteriorating wellness for months and failed to instrumentality immoderate steps to assistance the lad portion helium and Bravo were staying with him.

"On Feb. 10, 2021, soon aft 8:00 am, Bravo brought Peter Cuacuas' lifeless assemblage to St. Luke's Hospital successful Newburgh. He was pronounced dormant soon thereafter," a property merchandise from the Orange County District Attorney's Office said. "An autopsy conducted by the Orange County Medical Examiner concluded that Peter, who weighed conscionable 37 pounds, had died arsenic a effect of malnutrition. It is alleged that Bravo kept Peter locked and secreted successful a chamber down a doorway that locked from the outside. Since January of 2021, Peter ne'er logged connected for virtual schooling, contempt galore conversations betwixt Bravo and Peter's teachers and different schoolhouse representatives."

According to Peter's brother, Peter missed each of his virtual classes from December 2020 to his decease connected February 10, 2021. The brother's civilian complaint, which was filed successful 2022, said New York acquisition instrumentality "required" the Newburgh Enlarged City School District, done either a teacher of Peter Cuacuas oregon different schoolhouse territory employee, to support an "accurate grounds of his attendance astatine schoolhouse and his lack from school."

The schoolhouse and territory officials "had tenable origin to fishy from his grounds of lack from schoolhouse classes" that helium was a "neglected" and "maltreated" child, according to the complaint. "The suspect Newburgh Enlarged City School District ne'er sent an researcher oregon typical to 135 William Street, Newburgh, New York, to effort to conscionable determination with Leticia Bravo oregon to spot Peter Cuacuas."

As previously reported by Law&Crime, Bravo successful September 2020 became the child's superior caregiver, with Peter spending each nighttime of the week astatine her flat but for Saturdays, erstwhile helium stayed with his father. Prosecutors said that Bravo kept the lad hidden wrong of her Newburgh location successful a chamber that locked from the extracurricular arsenic helium dilatory starved to death.

Following her arrest, investigators said Bravo "admitted that she intended connected causing carnal wounded to the lad and that she recklessly created a sedate hazard of superior carnal wounded to the boy, which yet culminated successful his death."

At her sentencing hearing, Bravo said, "I truly don't cognize however to explicit however atrocious I am. If I could bring backmost Peter, I would. Even if I person to enactment successful situation for immoderate years. I commune each nighttime for Peter's forgiveness. This full concern breaks my heart."

The out-of-court colony betwixt the Newburgh Enlarged City School District and Peter's member was confirmed by the Times Union done his lawyer and a territory spokesperson, who sent an email to the section paper saying, "The nonaccomplishment of a kid is simply a calamity that profoundly affects our full community. Our thoughts stay with the student's household and loved ones. The territory has resolved this substance done a settlement. Consistent with the presumption of the agreement, the colony includes nary wrongdoing oregon liability arsenic to the district."

Jerry Lambe contributed to this report.