A Carmel family has taken its complaints to court, filing a civil lawsuit in Hamilton County Superior Court yesterday that accuses the Diocese of Lafayette and leaders at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School of failing to stop repeated bullying, sexual harassment and an assault involving their seventh grade son. According to the complaint, the behavior started in 2024 and escalated during the 2025-26 school year, leaving the boy in therapy and later diagnosed with severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress. The parents say school officials did not discipline the alleged attackers and instead moved their child to remote learning.
What the lawsuit claims
According to FOX59, the complaint names the Diocese of Lafayette and several school administrators and accuses them of negligence, negligent hiring and training, and negligent infliction of emotional distress. The report notes that the parents, represented by attorney Tammy Meyer of Metzger Rosta LLP, are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as court fees.
Alleged incidents in the filing
The suit, as reported by FOX59, says classmates began taunting the boy in 2024, calling him "weak," "ugly" and "gay." The complaint alleges that the harassment then intensified into sexualized conduct during the 2025-26 school year. According to the filing, students put meat in the boy’s food, pinned him to the floor of a school bathroom while others tried to pull down his pants, and issued graphic threats, including sexual violence against his younger sister. Court documents also state that the boy sought therapy and was later diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder.
School policies and reporting avenues
According to the school’s website, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School is a K-8 Catholic school that posts safe-environment training and reporting resources online. The parish site and school pages direct parents to the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana’s reporting portal and victim-assistance information at Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana, which the school tells families to use for serious concerns.
Where the case is pending
The complaint was filed in Hamilton County Superior Court in Noblesville, where civil suits involving local schools are heard. The Hamilton County Government and Judicial Center lists its courts at One Hamilton County Square in downtown Noblesville and handles filings, scheduling and public records for the Superior Courts.
Prior scrutiny of the diocese
The new lawsuit arrives as the diocese continues to face questions from earlier cases. Local reporting and public records describe prior litigation tied to the Diocese of Lafayette and the 2022 suspension of a priest assigned to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a matter previously covered by WISH-TV.
What happens next in court
The complaint raises civil claims that could result in damages if the parents prevail. Civil suits like this do not themselves bring criminal charges, which would fall to law enforcement to pursue separately. The case will move through Hamilton County’s civil docket, where judges will set hearings and discovery timelines, and future filings will become part of the public record. Court documents and subsequent local reporting are expected to show dates for initial hearings and any formal responses from the defendants as the case proceeds.
