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Sammy Teusch death: GoFundMe raises whopping $72,983 within days of Indiana boy's suicide
The GoFundMe set up for Sammy Teusch, a 10-year-old Indiana boy who killed himself after being bullied at school, has raised $72,983 of the $30,000 goal
The GoFundMe set up for Sammy Teusch, a 10-year-old Indiana boy who killed himself after being bullied at school, has raised a whopping $72,983 of the $30,000 goal. Sammy’s family has claimed that he complained to his school at least 20 times until his death on May 5.
Sammy’s parents, Sam and Nicole, claimed that their child’s school, Greenfield Intermediate School, knew about the bullying but failed to take action. "Kids are not protected," Sam recently told Edition Digital. "What are we going to do? What are we going to do to make it safer for them?"
The GoFundMe describes Sammy as “the best kid with a wonderful personality” who was “smart, funny, charming and deeply empathetic.”
Opening up about the bullying, Sam said, "At first it was his height, he was littler than most. Then it was his teeth. He had a big smile, a smile that showed everything. When they found out he wasn't fighting back, they just ramped it up.”
Greenfield-Central Community Schools’ statement
The Greenfield-Central Community Schools said in a statement last week, "Our staff in Greenfield-Central has worked with the Teusch family quite a bit over the last 18 months. Contact between school personnel and the parents was frequent. The parents did report the manner of death as a suicide, and we are investigating their claims related to bullying.”
"While the investigation continues, we are primarily focusing our resources on meeting the immediate needs of the students we serve in Greenfield-Central Schools," the statement added.
The district's superintendent shared a statement last week, saying Sammy’s parents or the school never submitted a written report about the bullying. Sammy’s parents have blamed the school and the superintendent for inaction.
"He never even talked to us," said Sam. "He just sent out a statement. It was disheartening and cold."
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
