$600k awarded in compensation after three teens died following high school principal hypnosis

A Florida school district has agreed to pay $600,000 in compensation to the families of three teenagers who died after they were hypnotised by their high school principal.

Former North Port High School principal, George Kenney, admitted to performing hypnosis on a 16-year-old boy, Wesley McKinley, just 24 hours before the teen took his own life earlier this year.

Following the incident, an investigation revealed Mr Kenney had hypnotised at least 75 students in 2011, reports the Herald Tribune.

One of the teens, 17-year-old Brittany Palumbo, took her own life later that year.

Another 16-year-old student, Marcus Freeman, died later that year in a car accident.

Mr Kenney was charged with two misdemeanours in 2012 and served a year of probation.