Florida college coach 'fat shamed,' cut student-athlete who asked for help before she died by suicide: lawsuit

Virginia mother Taylor Brock tells Fox News Digital her son was choked by a Fairfax County classmate in a school bus bullying incident, and that she is pulling him from school because he doesn't feel safe. 

A Florida university track and field coach allegedly "fat shamed," mocked and cut one of the runners from the team, who had a learning disability, and school officials ignored her cry for help a month before she died by suicide, according to a lawsuit.

Julia Pernsteiner was diagnosed with disabilities that affected her reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic skills, but she ran track as an outlet to help with her academic studies, according to legal action filed by her parents on Feb. 3 in Duval County, Florida court against Jacksonville University and former track and field coach Ron Grigg. 

"Teammates recall (track coach) Ron Grigg taking a special satisfaction in humiliating Julia, referring to her as ‘retarded,’ ‘the slowest f…ing runner on the team’ and unable to ‘wipe your own a..’" the lawsuit says. 

Jacksonville University responded to the lawsuit in an emailed statement: "The students, faculty, and staff of Jacksonville University continue to mourn Julia’s tragic death and we sympathize with the Pernsteiner family for their loss. Per University policy, we do not comment on pending litigation."

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Julia Pernsteiner was 23 when she died by suicide in her Jacksonville University dorm in November 2021 (Duval County, Florida court documents)

She endured the coach's alleged ridicule for nearly two years, which included comments to her face and behind her back, in texts and emails, according to the lawsuit. 

Pernsteiner