Warning: This article discusses suicide
A young boy has died after constantly being bullied for his appearance at a US school.
Ten-year-old Sammy Teusch from Indiana was bullied by other school kids for features including his teeth and glasses leading up to his death earlier this month.
His parents say the fourth-grader suffered at the hands of playground bullies and was harassed up to the night he took his own life on May 5.
The pair, Sam and Nichole Teusch, claim they complained to the school at least 20 times in the last year.
Nichole believes Sammy was too afraid to go to school due to the constant bullying.
"He was my little boy. He was my baby," she told local media.
Sam said he held his body in his arms, adding it was "the thing no father should ever have to do."
"Any time I close my eyes, it's all I can see."
"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."
Sam said his son was "beat up on the school bus" and had his glasses broken by other kids.
Sam said he had called the school to let them know the bullying was getting "worse, and worse, and worse".
He added that the school's administrators and counsellor had regular meetings with the family throughout the year.
"They knew this was going on. They knew this was going on," Sam claimed.
According to the New York Post, the school district's superintendent denied any bullying reports had been submitted by either the parents or the boy.
Sammy's grandmother, Cynthia Teusch, said the school claims it has a zero-tolerance policy on bullying, telling local media she was furious.
"They just can't say they have zero tolerance because that doesn't mean there is zero tolerance about bullies," Cynthia said. "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."
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- Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
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- Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
- Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
- Samaritans - 0800 726 666
- Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
- Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
- Shakti Community Council - 0800 742 584
