US: Sixth grader dies by suicide after constant bullying
Flora Martinez, a 12-year-old student at Duane D. Keller Middle School in Las Vegas, took her own life on May 7, 2024, after she was relentlessly bullied at school. The young girl's family alleged that their request to transfer Flora was denied by the school. Her grieving parents are holding the Clark County School District responsible for their daughter's untimely demise, accusing them of failing to provide adequate protection against harassment.
Parents accuse school district of negligence
Alice Martinez, Flora's mother, expressed her disappointment with the school authorities in an interview with 8News. "Look how hard it was on my daughter. My daughter was literally bullied to death," she said. She accused the school of failing to fulfill its duty to keep Flora safe while under their care, stating that they "failed miserably." The family had even kept Flora home for two weeks due to the bullying incidents.
Transfer request denied amidst ongoing bullying
The reported bullying only became worse once Flora returned to class. Her father stated that it was "months and months...of bullying that built up" leading to the tragic outcome. Rico, a former classmate of Flora's, remembered her as someone who was "so nice to everybody." "I felt like it's my fault because I should have really done something. I should have pushed everybody out of the way," Rico said. The funeral service for Flora took place on Thursday.
Indiana boy, 10, kills himself after suffering horrific bullying
In a similar incident, a 10-year-old boy named Sammy Teusch ended his own life on May 5 after enduring persistent bullying at Greenfield Intermediate School in Indiana. 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 continued online on Snapchat.
