A Texas mother at the center of a years-long controversy over an alleged bullying incident says she stands by her actions — even after a jury ordered her to pay millions in damages to a former middle school student.
A Collin County jury ruled that Summer Smith and her attorney intentionally inflicted emotional distress and publicized private information about Asher Vann, now 19, following a 2021 sleepover incident that drew national attention.
The verdict requires Smith and her lawyer to pay about $3.2 million to Vann, according to reporting by WFAA.
Mother Says She Still Stands by Her Actions
In interviews following the verdict, Smith said she was just a parent defending her child.
“Defending my son was what I should have done. And I would defend my son still,” she said.
Smith maintained that the alleged conduct at the sleepover — which involved claims that her son was pressured to drink from a cup containing urine — was deeply disturbing.
“The acts were vile,” she said. “To put it to someone’s lips to have them drink it is vile.”
She also expressed sadness over reports that Vann experienced harassment after the case became public, saying she never intended for threats or attacks to occur.
“I never wanted anyone to threaten anyone at the school,” she said. “I simply wanted them to be held accountable in the proper way.”
Incident Sparked National Outrage
The dispute dates back to February 2021, when a Snapchat video of the alleged incident at a Plano birthday sleepover circulated online, triggering widespread outrage and media coverage.
At the time, Smith and her attorney created a GoFundMe campaign that raised more than $100,000 to support Smith’s son, who was a minor and is not named in the lawsuit.
During the civil trial, Vann’s legal team argued the public campaign misrepresented how funds would be used, claiming donors believed the money would support therapy and private schooling.
Smith said a portion of the funds did go toward counseling and educational needs, while the rest was spent on other support for her son.
“Anything to help him move forward with life,” she said.
Plans to Appeal Verdict
Smith, who represented herself in the civil case, said she intends to appeal, arguing that key evidence was excluded during the trial.
“It was something that happened. It deeply affected my son,” she said. “We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the actions that happened to him.”
Her attorney, Kim Cole, also criticized the ruling, calling it unjust and disputing claims that private information about Vann had been disclosed.
Long-Term Impact Still Felt
Although Vann prevailed in court, he said the controversy has had lasting consequences on his life.
He acknowledged his behavior at the time was immature but rejected allegations of racial motivation.
“It was immature. It was stupid. It was nasty,” he said. “But that’s not who I am today.”
He added that the fallout changed his life trajectory.
“There was no winner in the end,” he said.
