This Present Darkness: bullying-related deaths

These are articles and columns about students whose deaths have been linked to bullying. Links to more recent incidents (i.e., anything posted in the past six months) may be found in Raven Days' current-news section, Radio Free High School. Relevant links which are still active after six months are moved here.

DeKalb Bullying Report Protested -- August 28, 2009. -- Atlanta, Georgia, USA. -- 11-year-old Jaheem Herrera hanged himself after relentless bullying. Now his mother is suing his school system. Article by Jonathan Shapiro for WABE. See also Aug. 27th's DeKalb School's Final Report, by Kristina Torres for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Apr. 26th's Taunted Boy Just Told Pals, "Bye," by Mark Davis for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution., Apr. 22nd's Bullies at School Took Boy's Life..., by Gracie Bonds Staples for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Apr. 21st's Mom: School Bullying Led to 11-Year-Old's Suicide, web-published by WSB.

Schoolgirl Took Overdose After Bebo Bullying... -- July 30, 2009. -- Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, U.K. -- 15-year-old Megan Gillan was being homeschooled after being bullied by schoolmates. They learned her e-address and began bullying her online. Article web-published by the Telegraph. See also A Campaign to Stop the Bullies, by Aida Edemariam for the Guardian.

Bridge Plunge Girl "Bullied for Being Pretty" -- July 17, 2009. -- Cornwall, England,U.K. -- 15-year-old Simone Grice killed herself after being "the victim of extreme bullying at school." Article web-published by This is Cornwall.

High School Girl Commits Suicide Amid Bullying -- June 15, 2009. -- South Jeolla, Korea. -- A gifted high school student hanged herself after being bullied at school. Article by Park Si-Soo for the Korea Times>.

Bullied Child Hangs Himself -- June 4, 2009. -- Kisserup, Zealand, Denmark. -- 12-year-old Robert Larsen hanged himself after being relentlessly bullied. Article web-published by the Copenhagen Post.

Sixth Grader Kills Himself After Being Bullied -- Apr. 24, 2009. -- Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. -- 11-year-old Carl Joseph Walker hanged himself Apr. 6th after relentless bullying. See also Apr. 14th's When Words Can Kill by Susan Donaldton James for ABC.

Parents Sue School After Son's Suicide -- Apr. 7, 2009. -- Mentor, Ohio, USA. -- 17-year-old Eric Mohat shot himself March 29th after relentless bullying. Article web-published by CBS. See also Apr. 3rd's Parents of Suicide Sue Over Bullying, web-published by UPI, and Apr. 2nd's Teen Commits Suicide Due to Bullying, by Susan Donaldson James for ABC.

Teenager Found Dead "Was Bullied" June 25, 2008. -- Ton Pentre, Wales, U.K. -- 13-year-old Cherrell Ardle-Evans killed herself after being bullied at school. Article web-published by the BBC.

Parents Sue School After Bullied Son Commits Suicide -- June 16, 2008. -- Prestonsburg, Kentucky, USA. -- 13-year-old Stephen Patton shot himself after being relentlessly bullied at school. Now his parents are suing his school system. Article by Cassondra Kirby for the Pantagraph.

Three Families File Suit Over School Bullying -- May 30, 2008. -- Louisville, Kentucky, USA. -- 13-year-old Stephen Patton killed himself after being relentlessly bullied. Two other boys from the same part of Kentucky were also repeatedly beaten up by schoolmates. The parents of all three children are suing their school systems for failure to keep them safe. Article by Connie Leonard for WAVE.

Suicide Teen was Bullied at School -- May 15, 2008. -- London, England, U.K. -- 16-year-old Lucy Irvine hanged herself after being taunted by schoolmates. Article by Tomasz Johnson for the Hendon Times.

Bullying Probe Over Girl's Death -- April 23, 2008. -- Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. -- 17-year-old Sarah Jean Walker killed herself and left a note saying that she had been bullied. Article by Carly Crawford for the Herald Sun.

Bullying Allegedly Takes Another Victim -- April 15, 2008. -- New York City, New York, USA. -- 12-year-old Maria Herrera killed herself April 7th after being bullied. Article by Emily Friedman for ABC.

Mum Seeks Answers Over Death -- March 30, 2008. -- Waitemata, New Zealand. -- 17-year-old Toran Henry killed himself after schoolmates beat him up and captured the incident on video. A ONENews article web-published by TVNZ.

Boy Sentenced to Life for Murdering School Mate -- December 18, 2007. -- New Delhi, India. -- An 18-year-old student who killed his bully has been sentenced to life in prison. Article web-published by the Hindu.

Finnish YouTube Killer was Social Outcast -- November 8, 2007. -- Tuusula, Finland. -- 18-year-old Pekka-Eric Auvinen, a bullied loner, shot and killed six students, the principal, and the school nurse at Jokela High School on November 7th, and then committed suicide. Article web-published by the Times. See also Nov. 8th's The YouTube Killer: Eight Die in Schoolroom Shooting Massacre, by David Charter for the Times, Nov. 8th's Finland Mourns Shooting Victims, web-published by the BBC, Nov. 7th's Man Kills Eight at Finnish School, web-published by the BBC, and Nov. 7th's Gunman Used YouTube to Predict School Massacre, by Jack Malvern for the Times.

Cleveland School Reopens After Shooting -- October 16, 2007. -- A bullied 14-year-old shot two students and two teachers and then killed himself. Article web-published by MTV. See also Oct. 11th's Multiple Shooting at Cleveland High School, web-published by KSFY, Oct 11th's Who Was Asa Coon? by Scott Stephens and Rachel Dissell for the Plain Dealer, and Oct. 10th's Student Captures Chaotic Scene Inside School, web-published by WSFA.

The Tragic Lesson of Taunted Kelsey, 13 -- May 21, 2008. -- Barnard Castle, Durham, England, U.K. -- 13-year-old Kelsey Jade Winter hanged herself August 12, 2007 after being teased about her looks by schoolmates. Article web-published by the Northern Echo.

Bullying Death Sparks Task Force -- May 3, 2007. -- Horsham, West Sussex, England, U.K. -- 11-year-old Ben Vodden hanged himself December 12th, 2006 after being bullied for months on his school bus. Article web-published by the BBC. See also May 3rd's Bullying Review After Pupil's Tragic Death, by Ian Morgan for 24Dash.

Media Possibly Fueling Teen Suicides in Japan, -- November 18, 2006. -- Tokyo, Japan. -- At least ten bullied Japanese students have killed themselves recently. Article web-published by the Taipei Times. See also November 11th's Bullying Leads Students in Japan to Suicide, by Shane McLeod for the ABC, and November 10th's Japanese School Pupils Threaten to Kill Themselves Over Bullying, web-published by the Guardian.

Ham Lake Parents Who Lost Son Speak Out Against Bullying -- Oct. 24, 2009. -- Ham Lake, Minnesota, USA. -- Their 12-year-old son, Tom Trosvik, hanged himself February 8th, 2006, after being "mercilessly teased." Article by Heron Marquez Estrada for the Star Tribune.

Funeral for Rail Death Teenager -- February 2, 2006. -- Bridgend, Wales, U.K. -- 15-year-old Jonathan Reynolds threw himself in front of a train. Other students said he had been beaten up and otherwise bullied at school. Article web-published by the BBC.

Community Mourns Teen Killed in Standoff -- January 20, 2006. -- Longwood, Florida, USA. -- A bullied student was shot by police after he aimed a toy gun at a SWAT team member. AP article by Kelli Kennedy, web-published by the Ledger. See also January 14th's Teen Shot in School Standoff, web-published by the St. Petersburg Times.

Boy's Suicide Prompts Push For New Anti-Bullying Policy -- April 28, 2005. -- Carlsbad, California, USA. -- The local school district is considering an anti-bullying policy in response to the January 2005 death of 12-year-old Matthew Gilman. Article web-published by KGTV.

2 Suicides Linked to Bullying at Sask. School -- January 26, 2005. -- Canora, Alberta, Canada. -- 16-year-old Travis Sleeva killed himself in December, 2004 after being continually bullied by schoolmates. Article web-published by the CBC. See also January 26th's Sask. Town Grieving Over Suicide of Two Teens, web-published by CTV.

Suicide Girl's Parents "Will Sue" -- June 3, 2005. -- Neath, Wales, U.K. -- In September, 2004, 13-year-old Laura Rhodes killed herself after being bullied. Now her parents plan to sue her school. Article web-published by the BBC.

Rocori Shooter Ruled Sane -- July 27, 2005. -- On September 24th, 2003, then-15-year-old John Jason McLaughlin opened fire at his high school, killing one student and badly wounding another, who later passed away. Article web-published by KARE. See also July 26th's Psychiatrist in McLaughlin Trial Says Movie Claims Exaggerated, web-published by KARE, July 21st's Sane or Not? Opinions Vary by Psychologist, web-published by KARE, and July 19th's Psychiatrist Says McLaughlin Sees Dead People, web-published by KARE.

Bullies Cited in Suicide... -- December 3, 2004, -- London, Ontario, Canada. -- 15-year-old Joshua Melo killed himself in 2004 after being bullied in school and online. Article by Marissa Nelson and Kelly Pedro for the London Free Press web-published by La Fondation Emergence.

Suicide Despair of Schoolboy Who Fell Prey to "El Bullying" -- October 16, 2004. -- Hondaarriba, Spain. -- 14-year-old Jokin Ceberio committed suicide September 21st, 2004 because he was being beaten up every day at school. Article by David Sharrock for the Times.

School Tribute to "Bullied" Pupil -- June 6, 2003. -- -- Lynemouth, Northumberland, England, U.K. -- According to his parents, 16-year-old Karl Peart, who killed himself June 1st, 2003, was teased throughout his school career and physically attacked in secondary school. His parents moved 50 miles away to try to give him a new start, but he was bullied again at his new school. The week before his death, he had won a small judgement in a youth court against a boy who had attacked him, and he feared reprisal. Article web-published by the BBC.

Suicide Boy Not Bullied, Says Inquest -- December 17, 2003. -- Wallasey, Merseyside, England, U.K. -- 11-year-old Thomas Thompson, aka Thomas Welsh, who was "extremely clever and loved reading and doing his homework," killed himself July 2nd. According to his mother, he'd been regularly bullied by other students, and had gotten off the school bus the morning of his death to escape from bullies. An inquest, however, found no evidence that the boy had been bullied. Article by Helen Carter for the Guardian.

Teen Killers Feel Trapped by Masculine Stereotypes -- Nov. 11, 2003 -- List of school shooters to date. Op-ed by Jessie Klein for USA Today.

School Shock Over "Bullying Suicide" -- September 11, 2003. -- Perthshire, Scotland, U.K. -- 15-year-old Marianne Shanks hanged herself September 7th. Friends said that she was bullied regularly at school. Article web-published by the BBC.

School Shocked by Second Death -- June 18, 2003. -- Ashington, Northumberland, England, U.K. -- 15-year-old Gemma Dimmick killed herself June 17th. Gemma's sister said Gemma had been bullied at school, although school authorities say that they were unaware of any problems. Gemma attended the same school as 16-year-old Karl Peart (q.v.). Article by Martin Wainwright for the Guardian.

Bullying Claim at Teenager's Inquest -- In November, 2001, 15-year-old Elaine Swift died of a paracetamol (i.e., acetaminophen) overdose. At the inquest, her father said that she had been bullied at school. Article web-published by the BBC. See also November 28th's Bullying Claim After Girl Dies, and Overdose Girl "Wrote of Suicide" both web-published by the BBC.

Family's Verdict on Daughter's Death -- In November, 2001, 13-year-old Morgan Musson killed herself after being bullied by schoolmates. Article web-published by the BBC.

Bullied Girl Planned Her Funeral -- In July 2001, in Bristol, England, 14-year-old Laura Grimes killed herself. She left a cache of letters detailing the bullying she had suffered at school. Article web-published by the BBC. See also the BBC article, Coroner's Anguish Over "Bullying" Death.

Andy Speaks -- On March 5th, 2001, 15-year-old Andy Williams, who'd been being bullied, killed two students and wounded 13 others at Santana High School in Santee, California. He was tried as an adult and sentenced to 50 years to life. His friends and family have created a website about him which includes letters he has written from prison.

Bullying Plea After Victim's Suicide -- Denise Bailie, 14, died of an overdose April 8th, 2000. Her sister attributed her suicide to her having been bullied by a schoolmate. Web-published by the BBC. See also April 17th's NI Bullying Study Follows Suicide , also web-published by the BBC.

Answers Few in ZMS Death -- In March, 2000, 12-year-old Christopher W. Joyner, who had been continually bullied by schoolmates, hanged himself with a jumprope in his school's gymnasium. The local paper, the Zebulon Record, responded with an editorial, Words Hurt, and a follow-up story, Joyner Classmates: I'm Sorry That He's Dead. All three articles are reprinted here with the kind permission of the Record.

On March 11, 2000, 14-year-old Hamed Nastoh jumped from a bridge. He left a note, which said that he had been driven to suicide by incessant bullying, and which urged his mother to work to stop bullying in schools. This is amemorial page for Hamed.

Hanged Choirboy Was Bullied -- 15-year-old Darren Steele hanged himself in March, 1998. According to schoolmates, bullies had repeatedly hit him and burned him with cigarettes. Article web-published by the BBC.

Tormented Teenager Killed Herself -- 13-year-old Kelly Yeomans killed herself in September 1997 after being relentlessly bullied at school. Article web-published by the BBC. See also "Anguish" of Bullied Teenager, also web-published by the BBC.

Mother's Advert to Shame Bullies -- A mother has taken out an anti-bullying ad in a local paper in memory of her son, who committed suicide in 1989 after being bullied. Article web-published by the BBC.

All original material on the Raven Days website, except the material appearing in the sections Words Out of Shadow and Lighting the Way, © 1999-2010 by its creator and maintainer, Meredith Minter Dixon.. Copyright to the articles in the sectionsWords Out of Shadow and Lighting the Way is retained by their authors. Counter: 17915