Mockery about appearance

Bullying drove boy (10) to suicide in the USA

(Bild: Facebook, Adobe Stock)

An unbelievable tragedy has shaken the town of Greenfield in the US state of Indiana. A ten-year-old boy who was mocked for years by classmates for his appearance recently took his own life. Sammy T.'s family now hopes that his tormentors will be punished - the police are investigating.

The unbelievable crime took place on May 5. Sammy had previously been teased at school for years. "At first they made fun of him because of his glasses, then they made fun of his teeth," his father told WTHR. Until the day he died, the boy was exposed to physical and emotional violence every day.

Parents: "School knew what was going on"
His parents explained that they had repeatedly contacted the school about the bullying, but the school had done nothing. They had contacted the school 20 times about the matter. The principal denies this - he never received a report about the incidents from the parents or Sammy. "They knew something like this was going on. They knew about it," the father of the boy who died told the TV station 21alive.  

Perpetrators could be prosecuted
The ball is now in the police's court: the investigation into the official cause and manner of death is underway. "The Greenfield Police Department considers all investigations into unattended deaths to be criminal investigations until the evidence and facts of the case prove otherwise," explained the deputy chief of the station, Charles McMichael. The young alleged perpetrators could also face criminal charges.

Threats also came via social media
The harassment had only recently escalated on a school bus when Sammy had been beaten up on the school bus. The attackers also finally cornered him in a toilet last week. "His broken glasses are over there in a memorial shrine that my children built," said the father. The boy was also threatened via Snapchat. "I will beat you up when you come to school," was one of the brutal messages. 

If you or someone close to you is in an exceptional psychological situation or is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact the telephone helpline on 142. You can find other crisis hotlines and emergency numbers HERE.