Cyber-Bullied 12-Year-Old Girl's Suicide Is a Tragic Reminder

vrijdag 13 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Jacqueline Burt 9 hours ago

Heartbreaking news out of Florida: 12-year-old Rebecca Ann Sedwick committed suicide after being relentlessly bullied online by 15 girls, jumping to her death at a cement plant in her hometown of Lakeland.

As the mother of a 12-year-old girl, just imagining what this child's parents are going through makes me feel utterly ill -- her life had barely begun! But as a former 12-year-old girl, imagining what Rebecca went through makes me feel equally sick. Among the insults her bullies posted on the internet: "Go kill yourself" and "Why are you still alive?"

Just terrible. And here's the part that makes me want to spend 100% of my energy monitoring my daughter's presence online: Sedwick left a series of digital clues before her death. She messaged one friend saying "I'm jumping, I can't take it anymore," and changed her name on a messaging application to "That Dead Girl." 

If only someone had recognized the signs. Sadly, Sedwick isn't the only teen to leave such a trail in recent days ... 

Just weeks ago, on the first day of school in the town where I live (Greenwich, CT), high school sophomore Bart Palosz killed himself with his family's shotgun. In the days and weeks leading up to that tragic day, Palosz posted many suicidal thoughts on social media. Palosz, too, was bullied. 

The girls who drove Rebecca to suicide might be charged with felony cyber stalking, but of course that won't bring her back. We can only hope that other bullied kids are saved as a result of parents and friends hearing Rebecca's story.

If the words someone is using -- even online -- indicate they may be considering suicide, or if you yourself have wrestled with the idea, please reach out to a suicide hotline. There is ALWAYS someone there who wants to listen and who will take you seriously. You can call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

How do you think we can help bullied teens? 

Image via NatalieMaynor/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jacqueline Burt

has written for numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites. She is easily bored and often tired, so she requires constant entertainment to keep her awake. Dance, Monkey! Dance! 

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Mamá de demanda de 12-Year-Old intimidada por su trágico suicidio

dinsdag 27 augustus 2013

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por Linda Sharps hace 29 minutos

Doce años Joel Morales era un niño frágil, inteligente que a veces tartamudeaba. Tenía problemas con las habilidades motoras finas y era pequeño para su edad. Durante más de dos años, soportó el acoso implacable por su tamaño físico y confundimos. Las bromas tienen tan mal, incluso su madre que lo transfirieran a una escuela diferente, pero sus verdugos continuaron a perseguirlo en su propio vecindario. Joel incluso fue burlado por el hecho de que su padre murió cuando él era apenas un bebé.

El 29 de mayo de 2012, Joel Morales dijo a un amigo que estaba cansado de ser tratado tan mal. Horas más tarde, la madre de Joel descubrió su cuerpo colgado de una barra de la ducha en su apartamento.

Madre de Joel ahora está demandando a la ciudad de Nueva York, la Junta de educación y los matones que lo molestaban. Es un acto jurídico que obviamente no se puede devolver a su amado hijo, pero si lo que está diciendo es verdad, no puedo culpar su un poco para dar este paso.

Los detalles de cómo la madre de Joel, Lizbeth Babilonia, encontró a su niño muerto son demasiado horribles comprender. Fue alrededor de 23:30, y familia de Joel había estado buscando para él durante horas. Cuando no apareció, finalmente regresó a su apartamento en East Harlem, donde ella hizo el macabro descubrimiento que Joel había ahorcado en el baño.

Babilonia gritó y bajarlo con un cuchillo, luego tuvo que ser refrenado de apuñalar a su propio cuerpo. Un vecino había apresurado de su apartamento al lado cuando escuchó gritos de Babilonia, momento en el que ella tiró el cuchillo de la mano de Babilonia e intentó dar Joel CPR, pero era demasiado tarde.

Así que al parecer era tan malo el acoso sufrido Joel, Babilonia se quejó ante el Departamento de educación "varias veces por semana." Tenía le transfirió a una nueva escuela, pero las bromas continuaron cuando los niños le siguieron a su club después de la escuela. La familia presentó una denuncia policial, recibió una orden de protección contra uno de los matones y ni siquiera se reunió con los padres de los muchachos involucrados --pero nada detuvo lo que se ha descrito en la demanda como "abuso físico y emocional severo, brutal y acoso" que sufrió.

A pesar de los intentos de la madre de Joel para poner fin a la intimidación, la escuela disciplinado nunca a nadie. Babilonia pidió incluso funcionarios de autoridad de vivienda de Nueva York hacia ella y su hijo a otro proyecto de vivienda, pero su petición fue denegada.

Su abuelo, dijo que Joel era un chico dulce que quería que su madre se preocupe:

Nunca tuvimos un problema con él, era un buen chico. Guardaba todo dentro, no quería molestar a su madre.

Es una historia terriblemente trágica que se está volviendo demasiado común en estos días. No sé cómo ayudaría a familia de Joel para ganar el pleito, pero puedo imaginar la sensación de absoluta impotencia y rabia que le perseguiría como padre después de algo como esto sucedió. ¿Quién es verdaderamente culpable por la muerte de Joel? La ciudad, la Junta de educación, los matones, los padres de los matones. Si fuera un adulto, yo diría que la decisión de Joel para poner fin a su vida fue su propio, pero es mucho más complicado cuando un niño se suicida.

Espero al menos que esta demanda trae algunos cambios anima a las escuelas a trabajar más para poner fin a la intimidación, particularmente cuando una familia tiene múltiples quejas. Los niños que atormentaba Joel Morales deben disciplinados mucho antes de que las cosas iban tan mal la policía estaba involucrada, y el hecho de que nunca tuvieron para dar cuenta de sus acciones es la pesadilla de todo padre.

¿Crees que la familia Joel Morales está haciendo lo correcto con esta demanda?

Imagen via New York Daily News

Haga clic en el botón "Me gusta" para obtener historias de Linda sostenidos en Facebook. Acerca de la autora Linda Sharps

vive con su familia, donde trabaja desde su casa mientras agrupar dos chicos revoltosa en Eugene, Oregon. Siempre tiene una bebida con cafeína en la mano y un LEGO incrustado en su pie.

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12-Year-Old Boy With Scary Brain Eating Amoeba to Be Taken Off Life Support

maandag 26 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Sasha Brown-Worsham 6 hours ago

In a horrifying story out of Florida, a 12-year-old boy has lost his battle to fight the brain eating amoeba he caught while swimming in a ditch this summer. Zachary Reyna of LaBelle, Florida was diagnosed with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, which is a form of meningitis caused by the amoeba naegleria fowleri. He never recovered.

The amoeba infects people when they take in contaminated water through the nose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although it is rare, when it strikes, it is often deadly. 

Heartbreakingly, Reyna is never going to recover and though he is on a ventilator for today, his parents plan to take him off tonight. As a parent, it is something that just sends chills down your spine. How could this happen?

Apparently Zach was infected while knee boarding with friends in a ditch near his family's home on August 3. Earlier this month, a girl contracted the same deadly illness and managed to survive it, but it is rare to survive once infected.

For parents, it's important to know the initial symptoms. They are vomiting, fever, nausea, and stiff neck. As it progresses patients exhibit confusion, lack of attention to people and surroundings, loss of balance, seizures, and hallucinations. Death can come between one and 12 days.

This infection is more common in the Southeastern United States and can best be avoided by wearing a nose plug. Of course, it can also be avoided by never allowing children to go into the water, but how realistic is that option?

Sadly, there are many dangers we can't see and we can't anticipate. As parents, our job is to keep our kids as safe as we can by playing the odds. While I would likely not play in a ditch, I can imagine to a 12-year-old boy, that would look like a great time. Never in a million years could anyone have imagined what horror might come from it.

It's a tragedy, to be sure. But it's rare. And while we can talk about nose plugs and what to look out for, the reality is, we can't avoid every danger in the world.

Reyna's parents plan to donate his organs in the ultimate act of generosity. My heart is broken for them and I hope they can find strength in this horrible time.

Do you worry about this amoeba?

Image via Mike Fisher /Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sasha Brown-Worsham

can't decide whether she is a mother, writer, or runner, but is usually all three at some point each day. She has written for dozens of print magazines, newspapers, and websites. She rarely ever writes on bathroom walls.

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Brave 12-Year-Old Boy Foils Home Invasion All By Himself (LISTEN)

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AppId is over the quota
by Kiri Blakeley 6 hours ago

What would you do if two strange men broke into your house? Would you scream, cry, grab a weapon? What if you were a 12-year-old? Well, this happened to one 12-year-old who was home alone. Two burglars broke in his home in Texas and I'll be damned if the boy didn't totally keep his cool, dial 911, hide, and politely and quietly describe to the operator what was happening. This is one brave and astonishingly smart little man and the audio recording of his 911 call will make you bawl your eyes out with happiness that he's all right.

The boy, Deion Murdock, started off by doing the right thing -- he immediately dialed 911 when he heard his window smash.

"Someone's trying to break into my house," he told the dispatcher. Notice how he dialed 911 first before anything. Nor did he go try to check out what was going on. He was even polite during the call, saying, "They just broke the window, ma'am." Aww! This poor little brave boy!!

He then went into his mother's bedroom and the operator told him to hide, so he hid in the closet as the burglars got into the house. He now knew enough to be quiet. I can only imagine his heart was thumping like mad, but he didn't start bawling.

"I'm going to have to whisper now, because I think they're coming in," he said. When asked if he had a weapon, he said, "No, ma'am. Please hurry."

Then, horrifyingly, the men were inside his mother's room. But the boy kept calm. "They're in here," he whispered.

Soon the cops were there -- the burglars ran out the door and were later caught hiding in the woods.

I'm just so blown away by this kid's demeanor. He should be president! I wonder if his parents taught him what to do in case of something like this. If it was me, I probably would have panicked and let out a blood-curdling yowl!

Should we teach our kids what to do in scenarios like this? And, if we do, would that make them scared of the world?

I think 12-years-old is old enough to be home alone for short periods of time. Hell, I was babysitting neighborhood kids at this age. And I think scenarios like this are rare. But it can't hurt to drill with your kids what to do in case of home invasion like we do in case of fire.

The operator, too, was impressed by little Deion, telling him:

You're doing good, doing real good, doing perfect. Your mom's going to be so proud of you.

Do you tell your kids what to do in case of home invasion?

12 News KBMT and K-JAC. News, Weather and Sports for SE Texas

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12-Year-Old Boy Battles Brain-Eating Amoeba As Donations Pour In

zaterdag 17 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Jacqueline Burt 18 hours ago

Poor Zachary Reyna was supposed to start 7th grade next week. Instead, the 12-year-old Florida boy has become the 2nd child this summer to contract a deadly brain-eating amoeba. Kali Hardig of Arkansas, also 12, contracted the same rare amoeba earlier this summer while swimming at a water park; Zachary was knee boarding in a freshwater channel near his home when he caught Naegleria fowleri. But while Kali's condition has reportedly stabilized, Zachary is currently fighting for his life in a local hospital. Says his mother: "We are still in the storm, and it seems to be getting worse." 

I can't even begin to imagine what Zachary's parents are going through right now. My daughter is starting 7th grade in a couple of weeks, so this story truly hits home in a horrifying way.

Thankfully, the family's community is being tremendously supportive. Wednesday night, hundreds of locals held a prayer vigil where over $3,000 in donations were collected. A Facebook page set up by Zachary's relatives called Pray4Number4 (if Zachary survives this infection, he will be only the 4th known human being to do so) has thousands and thousands of followers. I'm sure that, for Zachary's parents, there's very little comfort to be found in any of this right now -- I'm sure they're completely and totally consumed by fear -- but at the very, very least, I hope they know that they're not alone. 

Are you horrified by this summer's brain-eating amoeba stories?

Image via Facebook

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jacqueline Burt

has written for numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites. She is easily bored and often tired, so she requires constant entertainment to keep her awake. Dance, Monkey! Dance! 

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