The parents of a 10-year-old Virginia girl are reeling from her tragic suicide after she took her own life last week following months of relentless bullying.
Autumn Brooke Bushman, 10, died on March 21 after struggling with bullying at school since the start of the year in August.
The fourth-grader’s parents reported the bullying to the Roanoke County Public Schools district and were told the situation was being handled.
“They said they had handled it, and that was about as far as it went,” Autumn’s father, Mark Bushman, said.
“But, as far as we know, what we were told – at least by our daughter – was that it kept happening.”
“This is an age when they have tablets and they have phones, so it’s happening around the clock. They can’t really escape.”
The school district called Autumn’s death a “tragic loss” but did not confirm the bullying allegations.
“While we cannot discuss the specifics of the 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.”
