Suit alleges ACS failures preceded teen’s Brooklyn Bridge suicide

NEW YORK CITY — THE FAMILY OF A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL who jumped to her death from the Brooklyn Bridge in January 2023 sued the City of New York, alleging systemic failures by the Administration for Children’s Services led to her suicide, the New York Post reports.

The lawsuit claims ACS removed Jade Smith from her family despite a documented history of severe mental illness, then failed to adequately monitor her as she repeatedly ran away from foster placements. After her death, the suit alleges, ACS backdated records and escalated its investigation to retroactively justify its actions.

Smith, described as a gifted artist, struggled with PTSD, dissociative identity disorder, and depression and had attempted suicide multiple times before being placed in care, according to court filings.

✰✰✰