Grieving parents reveal signs bullied daughter aged ten was on verge of suicide
A bullied 10 year-old began wearing darker clothes smiled less and slept longer shortly before taking her own life, her heartbroken parents have said.
Autumn Bushman’s parents Mark and Summer Bushman say they noticed disturbing changes in the youngster, of Roanoke in Virginia.
But nothing could have prepared them for the tragedy on March 21, when the adorable youngster died by suicide at her family’s home.
Autumn, a fourth grader at Mountain View Elementary School, had been picked on for weeks by warped bullies, her parents say.
The youngster was targeted because she had stood up to other children who’d been bullied, her grief-stricken parents explained.
‘She was one if somebody was getting bullied or picked on, she would stand up for them. And unfortunately that may have made her a target for more bullying,’ her mother Summer Bushman told WDBJ.
Autumn’s parents said they reported the bullying to the school strict and were told officials were handling the bullying allegations.
‘But, as far as we know, what we were told—at least by our daughter —was that it kept happening,’ Autumn’s father Mark Bushman said.
‘This is an age where they have tablets and they have phones, so it’s happening around the clock. They can’t really escape,’
The school now says they are reviewing what happened in the lead up to the suicide.
They said in a statement: ‘While we cannot discuss the specifics of this situation due to federal privacy laws and out of respect for the family, we are conducting a thorough review.
‘Our schools take all reports of bullying and conflicts among students very seriously’
Her death has left her parents Mark and Summer reeling
‘She was the youngest and probably the wildest,’ Autumn’s mother Summer
‘She was a ball full of energy. It didn’t matter if you thought she was going to fall through my living room floor. She was at it with the cartwheels inside of my house at all times.’
The family has invited everyone to Autumn’s visitation and funeral service over the weekend.
Family friend Cher Nelson Johnson was among those paying tribute.
So heartbreaking,’ she wrote on a post showing a video of Autumn growing up.
‘This photograph is of a loving, sweet, young soul who has taken their own life today due to bullying. A beautiful Roanoke girl is gone too soon.
‘If you could, please keep Summer Bushman and her family in your thoughts during this devastating time of loss of her 10 year old daughter Autumn Brooke bushman…
‘Check on your people. Speak to your children about bullying. Bullying has to come to an end!’
Experts have urged any child being bullied to tell an adult at school and at home about what is happening to them.