Teen sues parents for tuition

Rachel Canning says parents threw her out of home

MORRIS PLAINS, N.J. – A northern New Jersey honor student is suing her parents for financial support and to force them to pay for her college education.

A judge in Morristown has scheduled a hearing Tuesday in the lawsuit filed by 18-year-old Rachel Canning.

"We're being sued by our child," the girl's father, Sean Canning, told WCBS-TV. "Me and my wife are distraught."

Canning claims her parents threw her out of their Lincoln Park home when she turned 18.

Canning's father, a former Lincoln Park police chief, says his daughter ran away from home in October because she didn't want to abide by the family's household rules. Those rules included following a curfew and doing chores.

"I reject the whole premise [of the lawsuit]," Canning told WCBS-TV. "I know Rachel is a good kid -- but an incredibly rebellious teen -- and she's getting some terrible information."

Canning has been living in Rockaway Township with the family of her best friend. The friend's father, former Morris County Freeholder John Inglesino, is funding the teen's lawsuit.

Canning says she has received several acceptance letters and is interested in attending the University of Vermont, a private school. WCBS-TV reports she has a $20,000 scholarship.

"We have a college fund available to her, but this is the equivalent of shopping at a high-end store and sending somebody the bill," Canning's father said.


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