LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -
Several former Las Vegas-area middle school students and their parents have been named in a lawsuit filed in Clark County District Court this week which alleges the racially motivated bullying and cyberbullying of a Hispanic teen girl.
Among the defendants named in the lawsuit is the teenage daughter of a Metro police captain.
The lawsuit, which seeks tens of thousands in damages, claims that from May 2012 to June 2012 the teen defendants repeatedly posted messages on social media outlets "in an apparent attempt to embarrass and humiliate her, and which did embarrass and humiliate her."
The alleged bullying also extended to in-school and after school verbal assaults which included taunts of "Hey Dora!" - a pejorative reference to Hispanic television cartoon character Dora the Explorer.
The lawsuit claims that in early June the alleged victim's family's home was vandalized by several of the defendants. Racist and hurtful drawings were allegedly left at the home in addition to olive oil, eggs, frosting, chocolate syrup and toilet paper strewn about.
The lawsuit further claims the Metro captain visited the plaintiffs' home following the vandalism, suggesting they not file an insurance claim and that his daughter was not responsible for any of the damages.
It's claimed that as a result of the bullying, the victim suffered humiliation and mental anguish and is afraid of being in classes with the defendants.
FOX5 reached out to several of the defendants in this case. We spoke with one via telephone who strongly disagreed with the allegations laid out in the lawsuit; however, we have received no official statement from any of the defendants or their representation.
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