Student With Broken Bones Says School Failed to Take Action

A mother of a Discovery Elementary student claims her daughter’s multiple injuries were caused by a gopher hole-filled grass field that the school failed to maintain.

Sofia Corbisiero has suffered a broken leg, fractured wrist and sprained ankle, according to the lawsuit. The family told NBC 7 there were five separate injuries in total.

“My principal, I thought that she was kind of mad at me in a way. She always thought it was my fault that I’m like faking it or something, but like I can’t break my own leg,” young Corbisiero said.

Corbisiero was running and playing in the field during physical education class in April of 2017 when she tripped and fell on a gopher hole and fractured her wrist, the lawsuit stated.

When mother Tina Ciolfi complained to the school, they placed orange cones around the holes, but Ciolfi said that did little to prevent any injuries.

A few months later Sofia twisted her ankle on the field. This time Ciolfi said she called the San Marcos Unified Superintendent who said her hands were tied.

“I really felt terrible watching my daughter go through the pain at night, moaning, crying, the cast. I was very frustrated,” Ciolfi told NBC 7.

In September 2018, Corbisiero tripped on another gopher hole and broke her leg in several places and required a cast from hip to toe, the lawsuit said.

Corbisiero, her family and the attorneys met with the principal and district investigator at the school in April 2019 where they discovered the holes had been filled with dirt prior to their arrival, the lawsuit said.

“Most of my friends, it has happened before and a lot of them did end up breaking bones, but what the school does to fix them, is put loose dirt on top of them or other times they put the cones,” Corbisiero said.

Attorney Christopher Morris said, “She’s had five different injuries at this school and mom was just at the end of her rope and really had no other option. She was reluctant to seek legal hope but she felt like that was the only thing she had left to do.”

Morris said the case is in the discovery phase which includes trying to find other kids who have suffered due to the gopher holes.

“I’ve been to the field myself and it’s a mess,” Morris added.

Source: NBC San Diego