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NORTH PORT - Patricia Palumbo says she knows what depression is. It's what she's felt, ever since her 16-year-old daughter, Brittany killed herself in May of 2011.

"My daughter was not depressed. She was typical of any 17 year old child."
       
The Palumbo's, along with the McKinley's and the Freeman's blame Dr. George Kenney, the former principal at North Port High for their children's deaths. They say he hypnotized them and even taught them how to self-hypnotize.

Wesley committed suicide, a day after hypnosis. Brittany killed herself, months later. Marcus died in a car accident. But his girlfriend believes he hypnotized himself, to ease pain from a dentist appointment.
       
One parent says, "I want Dr. Kenney to know he has ruined my life."

The families say it was widely known in the district about Dr. Kenney's hypnosis sessions. The district told investigators, they verbally Directed Dr. Kenney to stop 3 times, but the families say they never followed through.
       
"None of us would be standing here if they had followed through on that and made him stop in 2009."

Dr. Kenney was never disciplined by the district. Although he pled no contest in court to practicing therapeutic hypnosis without a license, he was allowed to retire early. And left Florida after completing his probation.
      
"He got to keep his pension and fled the area. and left the school to answer for his mistakes."

Now the parents say the district will answer for this.

"He was told on several occasions to stop. But the school board never assured us or never came in to make sure it stopped"

It didn't stop, they say, until one after another, their children died.

Tanya Arja Fox13 News