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.

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 Police Release More Detail on H.S. Shooter, web-published by KQCA, 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.

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, November 10th's Japanese School Pupils Threaten to Kill Themselves Over Bullying, web-published by the Guardian, and November 10th's Japan's Education Minister Gets New Suicide Threat, web-published by the Nation.

Wis. Teen Sentenced to Life in Prison for Shooting School Principal -- August 3, 2007. -- Cazenovia, Wisconsin, USA. -- On September 29, 2006, 15-year-old Eric Hainstock, who had been repeatedly bullied by schoolmates and who blamed teachers and administrators for failing to help him, shot and killed the principal of his high school. Article by Matt Pordum for Court TV.

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.

Bullying Moves from School to Cyberspace by Todd Jurkowski. 13-year-old Jeff Johnston killed himself June 28, 2005 after being bullied at school and online. See also Anti-Bullying Law Gives Grieving Mom Hope, by Leslie Postal for the Orlando Sentinel, and Mom's Campaign for Florida Anti-Bully Law Finally Pays Off, by Juju Chang, et al., for ABC.

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.

Family of Red Lake Killer Still Trying to Understand -- July 10, 2005. -- Red Lake, Minnesota, USA. -- On March 21st, 2005, 16-year-old Jeff Weise killed himself and nine other people, including five of his schoolmates. Article by Jodi Rave for the La Crosse Tribune.

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, July 19th's Psychiatrist Says McLaughlin Sees Dead People, web-published by KARE, and September 27, 2003's Cold Spring Teen Charged With 2nd-Degree Murder, an AP article web-published by the Winona Daily News.

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.

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.

Family Mourns for Murdered Teen -- September 4, 2003. -- Powai, India. -- Two bullies strangled a 15-year-old who was trying to keep them from harassing his older brother. Article web-published by ExpressIndia.

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.

After Shooting, Bethel Works to Prevent Bullying, Peer Abuse -- Article about the 10th anniversary of Evan Ramsey's school shooting in February 1997. Ramsey, a bullied student, killed a basketball star and the school principal. Article by Rhonda McBride for KTUU.

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, © 1999-2008 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: 12449