"Bullycide" is Out of Control
Watch the news or browse popular news websites daily and there continues to be stories about children and adults being abused by their peers.
However, despite efforts at local and national levels, bullying continues to be a serious issue and has become an epidemic in this nation.
Among the stories are those of Phoebe Prince and her copycat case in New Hampshire. There's also the story of a young boy in Oklahoma as well as the story of an 11-year old from Florida.
Celina Okwuone, an 11-year-old girl from Pt. Lucie, Florida took her own life last Thursday by hanging herself using a belt. Her parents found her a little before midnight. After the fact, Okwuone's diary was found and the contents of it indicated that her peers from her fifth grade class at St. Anastasia Catholic School, were abusing her and ultimately the cause of her "bullycide."
"Detectives are going to the school this week to talk to students and teachers," Port Lucie spokesman Tom Nichols told ABC News. "We need to determine why this 11 year old took her own life."
School officials are not talking and all inquiries are being sent to the Diocese of Palm Beach. In a statement, however, officials said that they were, "saddened to learn of the untimely death of one of our students from St. Anastasia School in Ft. Pierce. We grieve with the school community of St. Anastasia and ask for prayers for the student's family as well as the school community."
Is anyone paying attention? Why are we losing children like this? Is it because as adults we continue to fail them by ignoring this growing problem? Why are we paying attention after the fact? Information is all over the web and available, yet nobody takes the time to search for it despite hearing these children scream for help.
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