PITTSFIELD, MASS. (WHDH) - Two educators are facing criminal charges in connection with the death of 12-year-old Giver Essien, who drowned while on a Pittsfield Public Schools field trip to Beartown State Forest in Great Barrington, officials said.
Meghan Braley and Linda Whitacre have been indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter, permitting serious bodily injury of a child, and reckless endangerment of a child in connection with her death on July 17, 2024.
The investigation into Giver’s death included interviews with students, chaperones, and Pittsfield Public School staff. The investigation also included extensive research into Massachusetts’s General Law surrounding summer programs and the requirements of water safety. This included Christian’s Law, which outlines the requirements for safety procedures when programs bring children to freshwater or marine beaches.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)