CHATHAM, New Hampshire — The parents of a Maine high school senior who died on a school-sponsored trip to the White Mountains nearly two years ago are now taking legal action against the district.
According to a complaint filed Friday, 17-year-old Lakes Region High School senior Michael Strecker died on Sept. 12, 2021 while on a class trip up South Baldface Mountain in New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest.
Court documents say Strecker died of exertional heat stroke, and his parents Amy Tait and Christopher Strecker are filing suit alleging his death was a result of MSAD 61's policies and practices.
Strecker was identified in court documents as being in the custody of MSAD 61 and employees humanities teacher Jessica Daggett and Superintendent Alan Smith at the time of his death.
The complaint seeks several counts against MSAD 61, Daggett, and Smith, including:
- Municipal acts in deprivation of due process and shocking to the conscience, official policy, against MSAD 61,
- Municipal acts in deprivation of due process and shocking to the conscience, custom, against MSAD 61,
- Municipal acts in deprivation of due process and shocking to the conscience: failure to equip/train against MSAD 61,
- Municipal acts in deprivation of due process and shocking to the conscience: decision by final decisionmaker against MSAD 61,
- Failure to protect in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution (“State Created Danger”) against MSAD 61 and Daggett and Smith acting in official capacity,
- Negligence against MSAD 61, and Daggett and Smith individually,
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress against Daggett individually.
NEWS CENTER Maine has reached out to MSAD 61 for comment, but has not immediately received a response.