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Staff Photographer: Katelyn Pereira
Email: kpereira18@umassd.edu
The family of Jacob Pothier, an 18-year-old student at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, who tragically died in a car crash on January 5, 2024, has filed a $10 million federal lawsuit against the school district, several administrators, and a former employee.
The lawsuit alleges that the school failed to protect Pothier from an inappropriate sexual relationship with Kathleen Martins, a former security guard, which began when he was 15 years old.
As an alum of GNBVT, the news of Pothier’s tragic death hit me unexpectedly. My personal experience with Martins was nothing out of the ordinary, but her overt friendliness to my male acquaintances rubbed me the wrong way at times. When I heard of the news, it sadly made more sense to me of her alleged behavior.
Pothier, a junior and athlete, was a passenger driving with Martins, then 44, when the vehicle crashed into the Padanaram Bridge in Dartmouth. Pothier was pronounced dead at the scene, while Martins sustained serious injuries but survived.
Pothier’s family and friends remember him as a vibrant young man with a bright future. A GoFundMe campaign raised over $30,000 to support his memorial and burial expenses, reflecting the community’s deep sense of loss.
The lawsuit claims that Martins groomed and sexually abused Pothier for years, providing him with alcohol, marijuana, clothing, jewelry, food, and money in exchange for sex. It further alleges that school officials were aware of the relationship but failed to intervene, creating a “hostile educational environment” that led to Pothier’s emotional distress and, ultimately, his death.
The complaint shows several instances of alleged misconduct, including Martins removing Pothier from classes, giving him rides after school, and communicating with him via social media.
The lawsuit also claims Martins wore Pothier’s football jersey number to a game and hosted him in a hotel room during an out-of-state football tournament. A particularly disturbing allegation states that a New Bedford police officer found the pair in Martins’ car at a cemetery across from the school, yet no action was taken by the school’s resource officer or administrators.
The Pothier family’s lawsuit accuses GNBVT Superintendent Michael Watson and other administrators for violating federal and state laws, including Title IX, which protects students from sex-based discrimination.
The suit alleges that when a video of Pothier and Martins engaging in a sex act surfaced at the school in February 2023, officials threatened Pothier with punishment and potential criminal charges rather than offering support as a victim of abuse. Martins was placed on administrative leave and resigned in March 2023, but the lawsuit claims she continued to visit the school to interact with Pothier, with no further investigation by the district.
“The school treated Jacob as a perpetrator rather than a victim,” said Pothier’s aunt Jen Cullen in a statement to The Boston Globe. “We miss him terribly, and we want justice for Jacob.”
The school district, through its attorney Greg Manousos, has denied the allegations, stating, “The School took immediate action once it became aware of the alleged inappropriate conduct. At the time of the fatal car crash, the individual had not been employed by the School for nearly a year.”
The district also claims it filed a mandatory report with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families upon learning of the video.
The lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful death, emotional distress, and medical expenses. It also demands a jury trial. No criminal charges have been filed in connection with the crash, which remains under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police and the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office.
The defendants are expected to respond to the lawsuit by late April 2025, and a hearing for pre-litigation discovery is scheduled for October 29, 2025.