Matthew Burdette's Parents Take Action After Son Commits Suicide Following Bathroom Video

The parents of a 14-year-old who committed suicide claim that his school could have done more to prevent their son's death.

Matthew Burdette took his own life in November after a video showing him in a boys bathroom at University City High School in San Diego went viral, KGTV reports. Classmates said that the footage, recorded over a bathroom stall by another student, was posted to social media with the claim that it showed Burdette masturbating.

"It went viral. It went beyond his school. It went to other schools in California. Kids in the neighborhood who didn't go to Matthew's school had heard about it and seen the video that was taken of him," Burdette's aunt, Laura Burdette Mechak told KGTV.

In a $1 million claim, Burdette's parents say the Nov. 15 video sparked ceaseless bullying that school officials did nothing to stop.

"From the moment the video was posted, Matthew was mercilessly bullied, harassed and teased by students who had seen the video," the claim, obtained by CBS News, said. "This continued for the next two weeks."

After those two weeks, the claim said, Burdette killed himself on November 29. He left a note that said he "had no friends" and couldn't handle school.

The claim gives the family six months to file a lawsuit, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Prosecutors have not commented on whether the student responsible for taking the video will face criminal charges.

School officials declined to go into specifics about the incident in a statement issued to the LA Times.

"At San Diego Unified, the safety and well-being of our students is a top priority," the statement said. "The district also adheres to the privacy and confidentiality laws and regulations related to students, families and ongoing investigations."

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