A 21-Year-Old Dairy Queen Manager Is Now Charged In The Suicide Of One Of Her Employees
A 21-Year-Old Dairy Queen Manager Is Now Charged In The Suicide Of One Of Her Employees
After 17-year-old Kenneth Suttner committed suicide on December 21st, his boss at the Dairy Queen where he worked was implicated in a large part of the bullying that drove him to his death. Do you think she should be charged with manslaughter?
After 17-year-old Kenneth Suttner committed suicide on December 21st, his boss at the Dairy Queen where he worked was implicated in a large part of the bullying that drove him to his death. Do you think she should be charged with manslaughter?
On December 21, 2016, 17-year-old Kenneth Suttner committed suicide near his family's home in Howard County, Missouri after enduring torturous bullying at school and at his job at the Dairy Queen in Fayette.
Kenneth Suttner
Now, as part of a crackdown on bullying, his manager at the Dairy Queen, 21-year-old Harley Branham, has been charged with second degree involuntary manslaughter in his death.
According to multiple witnesses in a public inquiry, Branham bullied Suttner extensively while at work. One report said she made him lie on his stomach and scrub the floor by hand. Another report said she once threw a cheeseburger at his face when he made it incorrectly. Branham denies any part in the bullying.
There's a lot of people at Dairy Queen saying I was the reason for his suicide, but I don't understand why it would be that way.
Harley Branham
CNN, February 2, 2017
And while Branham faces arraignment on February 14 of this year, and while both Suttner's school district and Dairy Queen are accused of negligence in his case, particularly since Dairy Queen employees seem to have been insufficiently trained in reporting and handling cases of bullying, the school district remains doubtful on the severity of the charges.
We can and have set in place, policies, procedures and training to minimize bullying. In spite of best intentions and the best practices, we cannot guarantee that no bullying occurs, particularly, where, as here, there is no knowledge of bullying.
Glasgow Schools
CNN, February 2, 2017
So, now, what we would like to know is...
Do you think Harley Branham should be charged with second degree involuntary manslaughter?
Do you think Harley Branham should be charged with second degree involuntary manslaughter?
Any other thoughts? Talk to us about them in the comments below, and share with your friends to see what they think.