Parents in Thayer lawsuit seek protective order

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The parents of a boy who died at a home for troubled teens are seeking an order of protection after alleging the owner and his son tried to pressure them into dropping their wrongful death suit.

Victor and Gracia Reyes allege that John Bundy, who owns Thayer Learning Center with his wife, threatened and harassed them in July during an unannounced visit to the couple's California home.

The Reyeses' son, Roberto, was 15 when he died Nov. 3, 2004, after being at the center in the northwest Missouri town of Kidder for less than two weeks. His death was blamed on a spider bite.

Prosecutors declined to file charges.

The Reyeses have sued Thayer Learning Center, four employees at the home when he died and two affiliated businesses. They allege that physical exertion and abuse caused or contributed to Roberto's death. The lawsuit also claimed that the boy would have lived had he received timely medical care. The suit is set for trial in June.

In court records, Thayer officials deny those and other allegations.

The motion for a protective order, filed last week in Buchanan County Circuit Court, claims that John Bundy and his son, Isaac Bundy, told the Reyeses they "would be forced to investigate all family members in an attempt to uncover any embarrassing or personal information which would then be publicized through the litigation" if the lawsuit continued.

"We felt threatened and scared that the Bundys would try to embarrass us and cause our family further hurt," Victor Reyes wrote in the affidavit.

The Reyeses have asked the court to require all defendants in the case -- including their agents and employees -- be required to stay 100 feet from the couple.

Rhonda Smiley, an attorney for Thayer, said Thursday that she would have no comment until attorneys file a formal response with the court next week.