Troubled Teen Tricked by Parents into Going to Africa, 'Abandoned' at Boarding School: Lawsuit

"There is clear evidence that he is being harmed emotionally, psychologically, and possibly physically in the environment in which he has been placed."

By
Troubled Teen Tricked by Parents into Going to Africa, ‘Abandoned’
Photo for representational purposes only. Students during lunchtime at Makhtar, a Tunisian boarding school, on Sept. 29, 2022. Latin Times

A 13-year-old boy has taken legal action against his parents, who he says tricked him into going to Africa and abandoned him at a boarding school.

The British teenager claims his parents told him they were traveling abroad to visit a sick relative, but he was then left there without warning due to fears that he was participating in gang activity in London—an allegation the boy denies. The country in which he was left was not publicly disclosed.

The boy, who has lived in the UK since birth, reached out to the British Consulate and a child welfare organization for help, Punch Metro reported. His legal team argued in court that his parents "physically and emotionally abandoned" him in an environment where he allegedly faces inadequate food, poor education, and mistreatment.

"There is clear evidence that he is being harmed emotionally, psychologically, and possibly physically in the environment in which he has been placed," Deirdre Fottrell KC, the attorney representing him said. She called the parents decision "stark and quite brutal," and argued that, as a result, their son is "upset, confused, and distressed."

The boy's father's legal team defended the move as a legitimate act of parental responsibility, citing "real concerns about where he was and who he was with" in London. over his deteriorating behavior and vulnerability to criminal influences in London. They argued that the boarding school in the African country provided a safer, structured environment.

The legal team representing the teen has requested that a judge order his return to the UK, while his father's representation claims the parents acted in the child's best interest and their decision should be respected. The hearing is ongoing.

Originally published on Latin Times.

Tags
Africa, Court, Lawsuit
Join the Discussion
More Law & Society
Police Chief Spiked Officers' Coffee With Viagra, Left Body Hair

Police Chief Terrorized Staff by Pooping on the Floor, Spiking Coffee with Viagra and Sprinkling Body Hair on Food: Complaint

Texas Man Rammed Parked Tesla

Texas Man Rammed ATV Into Parked Tesla 'at Full Speed,' Keyed 'Elon' Into Side of Others: Police

Dumpster Diving Pedo_03282025_1

Binders of Child Porn Discovered in Dumpster by Homeless Duo Leads Man to Admit to Molesting Dozens of Children: Police

Prisoner Kills Man in Knife Attack Hours After Being Released

Prisoner Kills Man in Knife Attack Hours After Being Released From Jail Early