Mother charged with contributing to son's death

MERIDEN, Conn. -- A mother was arraigned Tuesday on charges she contributed to the suicide of her 12-year-old son, who hanged himself in his closet after being teased by his schoolmates about his body odor.

Police said that Judith Scruggs refused to get her son, Daniel, the counseling he needed, and that the boy lived in an appallingly filthy home where the bathtub looked as if it had not been used in some time.

Scruggs, 51, pleaded innocent to a charge of risk of injury to a minor, which carries up to 10 years in prison, and was free on bail.

She has claimed Daniel's death on Jan. 2 was because of bullying in school.

Daniel missed 74 of 78 days of school leading up to his death because of the constant abuse he received at Washington Middle School, his mother said. In court papers, police said school officials confirmed that Daniel was teased because of his poor hygiene, strong body odor and bad breath.