New York Attorney General Eric Scheiderman and State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia announced Monday that they are launching a civil investigation into the death of Trevyan Rowe.
The Rochester 7th grade special education student was found dead last week in the Genesee River, days after he walked away from School Number 12 on South Avenue.
In a statement (see below for more) Schneiderman and Elia say that the investigation will review the school district's policies, procedures and protocols to determine what improvements need to be made to ensure the safety of all students going forward.
The United Christian Leadership Ministry is holding a memorial at 6:30 p.m. tonight (Monday) at the First Church of God on Clarissa Street in Rochester.
A public wake will be Thursday evening at Bethel Christian Fellowship, at 321 East Avenue.
Monday also marks the return of retired School Number 12 principal Vicki Gouveia. She takes over as interim principal for Bridgette Griffin, who was dismissed Friday.
(FROM A.G. SCHNEIDERMAN'S STATEMENT)
“Treyvan Rowe’s death was a tragedy. His family deserves answers – and all Rochester families deserve to know that their children will be safe at school,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “We’re partnering with the State Education Department to get to the bottom of what happened and ensure the district’s policies protect our children moving forward.”
“Any time there is a tragic loss of a child, we must look for answers to determine what events and procedures allowed for such a heartbreaking incident to occur,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “Once we know all the facts, it is imperative, as state and local leaders, that we come together to make the changes needed to prevent the loss of lives so young. I thank Attorney General Schneiderman and Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle for remaining steadfast in their support of Rochester’s students and schools.”
Assembly Majority Leader Joseph D. Morelle said, “It is unacceptable that the current system failed Trevyan and the Rowe family. We must do everything in our power to prevent another tragedy like this from ever occurring again. I am grateful to Attorney General Schneiderman and the State Education Department for their cooperation and dedication to providing peace of mind for our grieving community.”
NYSED staff from the Offices of School Operations and Management Services, Student Support Services and Special Education, the Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Center, and the District Superintendents Daniel White and Jo Anne Antonucci of the Monroe 1 & 2 BOCES will work with investigators from the Attorney General’s office as part of the review of district policies and procedures. The investigation is being handled by the Attorney General’s Rochester Regional Office and Civil Rights Bureau. We also will work with local authorities as they review the incident as well.