Indiana boy, 10, kills himself after suffering horrific bullying
What's the story
A 10-year-old boy named Sammy Teusch tragically ended his own life on May 5 after enduring persistent bullying at Greenfield Intermediate School in Indiana, United States.
His parents, Sam and Nichole Teusch, had notified the school approximately 20 times about the bullying, which began last year when he was in elementary school.
Sammy's family stated that the bullying did not stop at school or on the bus; it also persisted online on Snapchat.
School's response
Parents' pleas for intervention met with inaction
"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 told WTHR.
The father also recounted instances of physical violence against Sammy, including an incident where he was beaten up on the school bus and had his glasses broken.
Twitter Post
Over 100 motorcycles escort Sammy's body to a cemetery
Over 100 motorcycles showed up this morning to escort 10-year-old Sammy’s Teusch’s body to a Greenfield cemetery. Sammy killed himself last week after his family says he was relentlessly bullied. I’ll have this special tribute tonight. @WTHRcom pic.twitter.com/DZQwuBpXEj
— Chase Houle (@chase_houletv) May 15, 2024
Official statement
School district denies formal reports of bullying
Dr. Harold Olin, the school district's superintendent, however, denied receiving any formal reports of bullying from Sammy or his parents.
He did admit to having regular conversations with the family throughout the year but declined to provide further details due to confidentiality rules.
Cynthia Teusch, Sammy's grandmother, expressed her frustration at the district's claim of having a zero-tolerance policy on bullying, stating that it doesn't absolve them of responsibility for such incidents.
Family's grief
Family remembers Sammy, questions school's bullying policy
Sammy's mother, Nichole, believes a specific incident in a school bathroom left Sammy too scared to return to school.
"He was my little boy. He was my baby. He was the youngest one," she said in an emotional interview with WTHR.
In the wake of this tragedy, a GoFundMe page has been set up by the Teusch family.
The page describes Sammy as a kid with a wonderful personality who was smart, funny, charming, and deeply empathetic.