Posted on 05/15/2024 10:37:53 AM PDT by Morgana
A ten-year-old boy took his own life after suffering horrific bullying at school, with his family saying he had warned officials 20 times about the ongoing abuse.
Sammy Teusch, from Greenfield, Indiana, died by suicide on May 5 and according to his family, was being bullied up until the night he passed away.
His parents Sam and Nichole say he was both physically and emotionally bullied at school, with Sammy being recently beaten up on a school bus.
The bullying started last year when he was in elementary school, and followed him to Greenfield Intermediate School.
According to the family, Sammy told teachers and other staff about the bullying 20 times.
His father Sam told WTHR: 'They were making fun of him for his glasses in the beginning, then on to make fun of his teeth. It went on for a long time.'
'I held him in my arms. I did the thing no father should ever have to do, and anytime I close my eyes, it's all I can see.
The abuse then got physical, Sam added: 'He was beat up on the school bus, and the kids broke his glasses and everything.
'I called the school, and I'm like, 'What are you doing about this? It keeps getting worse, and worse, and worse. And it's not getting any better. In fact, it's getting worse.'
Speaking to 21alive, his grandmother Cynthia said: 'They can’t just say they have zero tolerance because that doesn’t mean there is zero tolerance about bullies.
'Their zero tolerance means that they don’t have responsibility for it. People trust their kids to the school, but now that trust is breaking down.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
His parents should not only sue the school but the bullies and their parents as well
read on..
Who Is Responsible for a Suicide by Bullying?
https://lawnj.net/information/who-is-responsible-for-a-suicide-by-bullying/
Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people aged 10 to 14 and 25 to 34 in the United States. But this devastating statistic only tells part of the story. Countless of these lives were lost because of bullying. No one deserves to feel so powerless and hopeless because of someone else’s intentionally harmful actions that they choose to take their own life rather than face their tormentors.
If you have lost a loved one who was intimidated, abused, or harassed into believing their life was not worth living, you may be wondering if you can hold someone accountable. The answer depends on the unique circumstances—but in many cases, the bully and any person or organization that allowed the harassment may potentially be liable for the death of your loved one.
What Is Considered Wrongful Death?
In New Jersey, when one person dies as a result of the legal fault of another person or entity, a wrongful death claim may be applicable. Unfortunately, suicide is one of the known consequences of bullying, but each case is unique and has to be evaluated on its own merit. The most important part of a wrongful death case is to demonstrate a direct causal connection between one party’s actions and another party’s death.
Examples of Bullying
Bullying is a broad term that can describe various forms of intimidation, harassment, abuse, neglect, emotional harm, and more. Here are some of the more prevalent examples of how and where bullying occurs.
Physical Bullying
When there is a power and strength imbalance, victims are left defenseless. Physical bullies are usually bigger, stronger, and more aggressive than their victims. They typically harm their victims by causing physical pain or destroying their property. The kid who pushes everyone down on the playground is a bully. So is the high schooler who pours slushies on someone's head in the hall and the adult who is violent toward their partner. These are all examples of bullying that involve physical contact.
School Bullying
Anytime bullying occurs on or around school grounds from student to student, it is considered school bullying. Unfortunately, this can occur at all age levels throughout the education system. Students as young as eight years old have committed suicide because of school bullying. At younger ages, students may not understand the consequences of bullying. That being said, it is unlikely that bullying severe enough to cause a child to want to take their own life was unnoticed by adults at the school. At the higher grade levels, students or their parents could potentially be held responsible for the bullying behavior.
Cyber Bullying
The internet can be a brutal place. Social media makes it easy to spread lies and share photos or memes that make fun of someone. Some victims have taken their own lives because of websites created and dedicated to making the victim’s life miserable. This type of bullying can be relentless and spread quickly. Bullies never even have to be physically present to destroy someone’s self-worth.
Adult Bullying
Bullying is not only for youth. Adult bosses, colleagues, neighbors, romantic partners, and even family members can also be bullies. Domestic violence is also a form of bullying. Being bullied relentlessly can inspire a sense of hopelessness. One would think that as an adult, one would understand the consequences of bullying. But some people never grow up, and they should have to face the repercussions of their actions.
Who Is Responsible for Suicide By Bullying?
In some situations, wrongful death claims against bullies may be applicable. This depends on the age of the perpetrators, the nature of their actions, and evidence that connects the bullying to the suicide. School districts and other organizations may also be held liable under certain circumstances.
You, as a loved one of the deceased, are not expected to have all the answers. But the fact that you are asking the questions is a huge step in the right direction. Though no amount of compensation can ever undo the pain your loved one suffered, holding the responsible parties accountable can help you feel a sense of justice and make the future safer for others. Contact Us
Our compassionate and experienced team of attorneys at O’Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble, LLC, can help you navigate the legal process. Bullies and responsible parties should be held accountable for their actions or inaction. We offer a free consultation to help you determine if you have a valid legal claim and the best way to move forward. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
I can’t help but lay some responsibility on the parents who didn’t do enough to either stop the bullying themselves or remove the child and school him themselves.
They abdicated their parental authority and left it up to the school.
Sad all the way around.
The help he had was Social Media (spit). There is tons of content revolving around death on there. Social Media is one of the worst inventions ever. Poison.
The worst thing I ever did (and I’m not leaving out the Big Ten, this was even worse) was to participate in gratuitous cruelty to a mentally handicapped kid who was one of the first to ever be “mainstreamed” into a regular class.
Fourth or fifth grade, I don’t remember, but I’m still ashamed about it 60+ years later.
Oh no...that’s terrible. He was a cute kid and would’ve grown up to be a handsome guy. Breaks my heart.
what did the father do that he is talking about? He should of went to school, got the names of those kids, and went to their houses to talk and take more action as needed with those parents. If nothing else, put your kid in private school. Kids that age need an adult advocate to actually help them.
Agreed. The school, though, is responsible for student safety when the kids are on campus. They’re still off track, in my view. The article indicates the school is responding by providing counseling for students, etc. They SHOULD be focused on a.) identifying the bullies; b.) expelling them; and c.) driving the point home to students that this was the result of bullying. Parents of the bullies are culpable as well, and are likely bullies (cowards) themselves. And this is the state of our society these days. He looked like a good kid to me. This is gut-wrenching stuff to hear about.
Increased Suicide Rates Among Children Aged 5 to 11 Years in the U.S.
https://www.cwla.org/increased-suicide-rates-among-children-aged-5-to-11-years-in-the-u-s/
The JAMA Network new research study, Characteristics and Precipitating Circumstances of Suicide Among Children Aged 5 to 11 Years in the United States, 2013-2017, examined the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), revealing that suicide is the eighth leading cause of death among children aged 5 to 11 years. Childhood suicide risk factors included mental health, prior suicidal behavior, trauma, and peer, school, or family-related problems.
Demographic data included 134 child decedents, of which 75% were males, and 59 percent were White individuals, with an average age of 10.6. The majority of the suicides occurred in the child’s home and specifically in the child’s bedroom. The methods of suicide used were majority by hanging or suffocation (78.4%) followed by firearms (18.7%). In all firearms deaths, the gun was stored unsafely in the child’s home. School or peer-related problems were present in more than one-third of the victim’s cases. The childhood suicide findings suggest that a progression toward suicide behavior accumulated over time and that an argument between the child victim and a family member or disciplinary action was often the precipitating circumstance of the suicide.
The findings from the investigation of the characteristics and precipitating circumstances of suicide among children aged 5 to 11 years in the US revealed four themes, including:
1 Mental health and suicide-related concerns.
Trauma.
2 Family-related problems.
3 School or peer-related problems.
The day of the suicide revealed that 32 percent of the child victims were disciplined at school, and an argument occurred in the home followed by disciplinary action. With most of the child victims being at home at the time of the suicide, findings indicated that an adult in 58.4 percent of cases was also present in the home. Suspected or confirmed child abuse and neglect were associated in 27.1 percent of the cases, and 40.6 percent experienced multiple traumatic events. Domestic violence, parental substance abuse, family history of psychological problems, or suicide were documented in approximately 40 percent of the child victim’s cases. 1 in 4 of the child victims has a history of trauma.
Thirty percent of the child victims had an identified mental health concerns, and 78 percent were receiving mental health treatment for behavioral and/or mood disorders. The child victims often had a history of suicidal ideation or attempts, and some expressed suicide on the day of their death. Coincidentally, findings indicated that children who attempted suicide are up to 6 times more likely to attempt suicide in adolescence. This study suggests more serious suicidal prevention for younger children, including strategies that differentiate children and adolescents.
Some suggested recommendations to address child suicide included:
1 Investing in more effective suicide risk detection and targeted prevention initiatives for younger children.
2 Strengthening parent-child relationships as a protective factor through family-based interventions.
3 Robust mental health screening and suicide risk assessment.
This bully, does he she it or they have a name or names?
In the case of my own kid it would have stopped the second time I had to go to that school to discuss it. That said there’s a lot that sounds really “off” about this story as presented.
Kid looked like me when I was 10. I took “The boy named Sue” approach.
“expelling them; “
Most schools don’t expel kids these days. Even if they did the kids would just view that as a vacation day.
The best thing this father could have done is pulled his kid from the school, really it was the only option. The schools don’t do a darn thing when it comes to bullying UNLESS it’s an alphabet child then they do something.
He looked like that kid from “A Christmas Story”
How things have changed. And not for the better.
You’re on ‘social media’ right now.
It’s not the tool, it’s the use it’s put to and the need for parental guidance.
Why would these parents ever send him back to this school once the bullying started being reported?
Adults wouldn’t tolerate it at work. Children can tolerate even less. Parents protect your children.
Just another example of the wonderful socialization they say homeschoolers are missing by not going to school and feeding the teachers unions.
that is not true
Social media has added a whole new dimension to bullying. Back in my day, switching schools allowed one to get a "fresh start" so to speak. But now, it doesn't matter what school you transfer to. Your new classmates will pull your profile on social media and see that you were tagged a "loser" from the school you came from, making it very difficult for you to start all over again.
As another poster here pointed out, social media is utterly poison. This is why our younger people are so indoctrinated. In order to stay in the "cool club", they have to fill their social media timelines with all kinds of woke nonsense. Lest they get "cancelled."
What kind of parent leaves their child in a bullying environment and expects others to fix it????
Get your child out asap
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