Georgia Middle-Schooler Labeled ‘Snitch’ Commits Suicide (UDPATE)

Dad Says Bullying Behind Son’s Suicide

A middle school student in Columbus, Georgia is the most recent victim of school bullying. 13-year old Devin Brown killed himself by hanging earlier this week and his father Ray blames school officials for doing nothing after he reported episodes of bullying numerous times.

He said school officials never pursued reports that the youngster was being harassed and picked on by as many as 15 other students.

The youngster recently relocated to Georgia in order to live with his father, but began experiencing problems at the Rothschild Middle School almost immediately.

Brown says the bullying started in November.

His father reports he was beaten up by other students who also smeared him with food. Ray Brown believes that his son finally reached the breaking point when he alerted officials that another student was in possession of a knife and other students began calling him a “snitch” for reporting it.

“He got jumped, or somebody beat him up,” Ray Brown, Devin’s father, told WLTZ. “He came home one time and had some peanut butter pies he had made for school. When he walked through the door he had some pie left, and he had it all over him. Someone had jumped on him and smeared it all over him.”

Devin’s lifeless body was found hanging at home by his stepmother and although his father tried to revive him, he was already dead by the time his desperate actions were discovered.

“I hear [my stepmother yelling,] ‘Oh my God, Ray, Ray, help me! I can’t get him down, he hung himself,'” Cara Downs, Devin’s older sister, told WLTZ. “I could see the black and blue around his neck and I tried to find a pulse, but couldn’t find it.”

His father fashioned a homemade box with the word “hero” carved into it for family members and friends to drop notes and remembrances of Devin at his funeral.

According to bullyingstatistics.org, nearly 30 percent of students are bullies or victims of bullying. Over 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide. Bully victims are between two- and nine-times more likely to consider suicide.

For more information about bullying, please visit “Stand for the Silent.” End Bullying. Save Lives.

Canadians can visit www.stopabully.ca for important information and resources on bullying.

On The Web:

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/05/17616979-georgia-middle-schooler-commits-suicide-after-bullying-being-called-snitch-dad-says?lite