A mother in the US has lashed out at her son's school after he endured relentless bullying and died in a suspected suicide over the weekend.
Seven Bridges, 10, was found dead in his Kentucky home on Saturday morning by his mum Tami Charles. The young boy died from a suspected suicide.
His mum told Kentucky television station WDRB that her son had been persistently bullied at school because he carried a colostomy bag with him.
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"You failed my baby," Ms Charles said during an interview with WDRB on Monday (local time), taking aim at her son's school.
The 10-year-old was diagnosed with a bowel condition at birth that required him to undergo 26 different surgeries as doctors unsuccessfully tried to fix the issue.
He underwent a colostomy, a surgical procedure where doctors create an opening in the large intestine and connect it to the abdominal wall.
Ms Charles said her son was often mocked at his school, Kerrick Elementary, because his condition at times caused an unpleasant odour.
She said her son was once choked and called a racial slur by another student while riding the school bus, and claims he lost consciousness and complained of dizziness after it happened.
"He couldn't fight back. He didn't know how to hurt you. He had no malice, none," Ms Charles told WDRB.
She and Seven's father, Donnie Bridges, blame his school for neglect and say they are going to sue the school district, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), for failing to stop the bullying of their son.
An investigation was opened into the incident after Ms Charles raised the issue to JCPS administrators, but it's not clear whether the attacker was punished.
JCPS communications director Renee Murphy told WDRB the school would launch a "full investigation" into how complaints raised were handled by the school.
"We are devastated by this. Our hearts are breaking for this family."
Newshub.
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- Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
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- Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
- Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
