Survivor's Family Sue Over Sandy Hook Massacre

Lawyers for a six-year-old who survived the Sandy Hook massacre are seeking permission to sue the state of Connecticut for \$100m (£62m) for failing to protect its schoolchildren.

The legal notice was filed earlier this week with the claims commissioner, who will decide whether the state's usual immunity from prosecution should be waived.

It is the first apparent litigation attempt following the mass shooting two weeks ago, which killed 20 children and six members of staff.

New Haven lawyer Irving Pinsky said the girl, only identified as Jill Doe, was in her classroom at the elementary school in Newtown on December 14 when "the horrific confrontation" with gunman Adam Lanza came over the loudspeaker.

Mr Pinsky said the student was traumatised by the killings of her schoolfriends, and accused the state of failing to protect students from "foreseeable harm".

"The State Board of Education, Connecticut Department of Education and State Commissioner of Education failed ... to provide a safe school setting at Sandy Hook Elementary School," the claim reads.

"As a consequence, the ... child has sustained emotional and psychological trauma and injury, the nature and extent of which are yet to be determined,” the lawsuit goes on.

The lawyer told The News-Times newspaper that he took the case because, "we must stand together to protect our children. If we don't, nothing will change."