Words Can Kill

1. Words Can Kill

2. Amanda Cummings, 15 yrs old Staten Island, NY

3. Walked in front of an oncoming bus Dec. 27, 2011. • Had a suicide note in her pocket. • The bullies continued to leave comments on her Facebook, such as: “LMAO she jumped in front of a bus. lol” - - even as she lay in a coma.

4. I fail to see the humor.

5. Amanda died 6 days later on Jan. 2, 2012.

6. Every 100 minutes, another teenager will commit suicide.

7. Brandon Bitner, 14 yrs oldMount Pleasant Mills, PA

8. Was tormented in school for over 3 years. • He was a passionate violinist who once awed everyone at a performance of an Evanescence song at his middle school talent show. • Stepped in front of a tractor-trailer Nov. 4, 2010.

9. Each day, 160,000 students miss school for fear of being bullied.

10. Nicola Ann Raphael, 15 yrs oldGlasgow, Scotland

11. Endured 3 years of bullying. • In 2001, she overdosed on her mom’s prescription pain-killers.

12. Every 7 minutes, a child is bullied.

13. Adult intervention: 4% Peer intervention: 11% No intervention: 85%

14. Jared Benjamin High, 13 yrs oldPasco, WA

15. May 6, 1998, Jared was attacked by a bully who was 175 lbs, twice Jared’s size. He was beaten so brutally, thrown, punched, kicked, that the doctor told his mom that had he been thrown one more time against the wall, he might have had his neck broken and died.

16. Although the school officials knew that the larger boy was dangerous, they concluded that Jared was partially to blame and gave both boys 3 days suspension.

17. The trauma to his stomach, neck, shoulders, hips, and spine resulted in days of throwing up, diarrhea, no appetite, and no sleep.

18. It is believed that the lack of sleep would later explain his bi-polar depression that he developed after this attack. • It is believed that the injuries to his neck and shoulders caused Jared to hear “noises in his head”. • It is also believed that Jared suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

19. On Sept 29, 1998, just 6 days after his 13th birthday, Jared called his father at work to say good-bye. • While on the phone with him, Jared shot himself, dying instantly.

20. Ryan Patrick Halligan, 13 yrs oldEssex Junction, VT

21. After several years of in-school bullying, and also cyberbullying, Ryan hung himself in the middle of the night. • His older sister found him later the next day.

22. Over half of teens have been bullied online. About the same number has engaged in cyber-bullying.

23. Phoebe Prince, 15 yrs oldSouth Hadley, MA

24. In the fall of 2009, Phoebe moved to Massachusetts from Ireland with her family. • Jan 14, 2010, after enduring months of bullying by a group of classmates, Phoebe hung herself in the stairwell leading to the second floor of the family apartment. • Her 12 year old sister found her.

25. 6 teenagers from South Hadley High School were indicted on felony charges including violation of civil rights, criminal harassment, and stalking, among others.

26. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people between the ages of 14 and 25 in the United States.

27. Brandon Chris Swartwood, 18 yrs oldCoweta, OK

28. Developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression after several years of being harassed, tormented, isolated, assaulted, and brutally beaten. • On Dec. 16, 2000, Brandon put a loaded gun to his head, pulled the trigger and ended his pain.

29. Kristina Calco, 15 yrs oldPortage, MI

30. Bullied since middle school, she took her own life in Dec. 2005 by hanging herself in the basement of her house.

31. Corinne Wilson, 13 yrs oldRockdale, TX

32. Endured several years of constant bullying. • Oct. 6, 2004, the girls told her over and over that she was fat, ugly, had ratty hair, and that she should just go home and kill herself. • Suicide by gunshot to the forehead.

34. Cassie Gielecki (15) • Zach Harrington (19) • Chris Hediger (15) • Jaheem Herrera (11) • Maria Herrera (12) • Carl Walker Hoover (11) • Julian Houts (13) • Chris Howell (17) • Jeremiah Lasater (14) • Cassidy Joy Andel (16) • Michael Joseph Berry (17) • Margaret Campbell (14) • Jon Carmichael (13) • Amanda Cota (16) • Chris Daoust (15) • Desire' Dreyer (17) • Jennifer Eyring (16) • Stephanie Gestier and Jodie Gater (16)

35. Daniel Scruggs (12) • Iain Steele (15) • Christian Taylor (16) • Thomas Trosvik (12) • Sladjana Vidovic (16) • Ben Vodden (11) • Alex Wildman (14) • Timothy Winkler (15) • Hope Witsell (13) • … and many others • Hunter Layland (15) • Kimberly Linczeski (12) • Jesse Logan (18) • Tyler Long (17) • Daniel Mendez (16) • Eric Mohat (17) • Rafael Morelos (14) • Rachael Neblett (17) • Alexis Pilkington (17) • Meredith Rezak (16)

36. Words Can Kill

37. Sources • http://abcnews.go.com/US/staten-island-teen-bullied-suicide-family/story?id=15287910#.T4DoLBw2I1o • http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/staten_island/bullied_teen_suicide_nq1HBAUkyUXDyaJX1mrUbI • http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/11/teen_suicide_victim_was_tired.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Nicola_Ann_Raphael • http://www.bullypolice.org/brenda.html • http://www.jaredstory.com/assault.html • http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org/ • http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/01/24/the_untouchable_mean_girls/ • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Phoebe_Prince • http://www.jaredstory.com/brandon.html • http://www.jaredstory.com/corinnesstory.html • http://www.jaredstory.com/kristina.html • http://stopbullycide.tumblr.com/