Seth Walsh, the Tehachapi 13-year-old who hanged himself from a tree in his back yard after years of being bullied, died Tuesday afternoon after nine days on life support.
Tehachapi police investigators interviewed some of the young people who taunted Seth the day he hanged himself and determined despite the tragic outcome of their ridicule, their actions do not constitute a crime.
"Several of the kids that we talked to broke down into tears," Jeff Kermode, Tehachapi Police Chief, said. "They had never expected an outcome such as this."
He said the students told investigators they wish they had put a stop to the bullying and not participated in it.
Friends said Seth was picked on for years because he was gay.
School administrators said they have an anti-bullying program in place, but schoolmates said staff at Jacobsen Middle School in Tehachapi offered Seth no protection or guidance.
Oh God! Not another one! I'd read about Seth when he was still hanging on to life on life support, and I knew I'd likely be posting again on the tragedy of another premature end to a young life.
Some of the kids who bullied Seth show remorse, but that won't bring Seth back. Yes, I call myself a Christian, and I place my hope in a life to come, but the romance that sometimes attaches to the story of a life so tragically and unnecessarily come to an end, escapes me. I fear the contagion of this romantic view that may entice other young people to see suicide as the solution.
How many deaths will it take to convince the members of our society, including the young people, of their responsibility to treat those who seem odd or different with respect? If adults won't set the example by ending their vile and abusive commentary, how can we expect the young people to be different? How many deaths will it take to convince our citizenry to force the leadership in the schools, not only to set in place policies to deal with bullying, but to implement the policies in an effective way? Will the growing number of teen suicides as a result of bullying be enough to get the wheels in motion?
May Seth Walsh rest in peace and rise in glory.
May God give comfort, consolation, and peace to Seth's parents and to all who love him.
May God have mercy on us all!
H/T to Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin.
'May God have mercy on us all!'
ReplyDeleteAmen, Mimi, Amen
I don't know what to say. Another one so soon - it's unbelievable. Alas.
ReplyDeleteTechnically I suppose the bullying does not constitute a crime per se. I notice the school says it has an anti-bullying program in place, but something has clearly gone horribly wrong somewhere if the staff still offered Seth no protection or guidance.
One hopes the remorseful children (for their own sakes and souls if aught else) will be given and will take the opportunity to speak out about what they did, about how they didn't understand that what they did would have consequences, how they now understand that actions have consequences.
ReplyDeleteOne hopes.
May God give comfort, consolation, and peace to Seth's parents and to all who love him.¨ GM
ReplyDeleteAmen
There is going to be a long receiving line at the gate of heaven, and certain church hierarchs will have some apologies to make, in person, to the innocents for whom they so carelessly and contemptuously made life so bitter and difficult, and the innocents misled into cruelty by the callous examples of their elders, ere they cross the threshold. Kyrie eleison.
ReplyDeletethank you for posting these Grandmere. And, yes, exactly, to what Tobias said.
ReplyDeleteAmen.
Perhaps, as we walk through the receiving line, we will meet all of those upon whom we have inflicted pain throughout our lives and experience their pain ourselves, cleansing us and healing us and them, after which we will embrace in love and peace.
ReplyDeleteSounds a bit like the old and discarded idea of Purgatory, doesn't it?
How can there be justice without judgment?
And yet..another:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/nyregion/30suicide.html?hp
I weep for these children.. Lord have mercy.
amyj
Amy, I read the story of Tyler, but I didn't have the heart to post about it today. So sad.
ReplyDelete"....their actions do not constitute a crime." So the protection of those responsible and the enabling of the next group of perpetrators continues. "I didn't mean for it to happen" may be a factor in establishing diminished responsibility, but it does not establish innocence. Wonder what position in the community some of those "innocent" kids' daddies occupy.
ReplyDeleteBrighter note, have you seen E Café's Mormon leader apologizes for Prop. 8 post?
Oh my God, I shouldn't have read that tonight.
ReplyDeleteAll these kids need to hear the "It Gets Better" Project.
ReplyDeleteKyrie Eleison.
Christe Eleison.
Kyrie Eleison.
This morning this disgusting case. And a press report that tells it like it is, At least the police are holding these perpetrators responsible.
ReplyDeleteIt gets better except when it doesn’t. My heart aches for all of these hurting souls. The torment in high school lessened for me in college but it was still there.
ReplyDeleteThen it began in the “real world” when those bullies from high school and college grew up and took jobs in my field and decided that they should continue to harass people they didn’t approve of being allowed to work alongside them and tried to deprive me of making a living. They truly want us to disappear forever.
And of course for many of us there is also the family and church rejection to deal with. Many of us are lucky enough to find a group of loving and supportive friends but many are not that lucky.
During the AIDS crisis of the 90s much of my support group died. As I age it is getting harder rather than better or easier as the feelings of “me against the whole world” attempt to engulf me every day.
Blog postings like this are a lifeline during times like this. To address this problem we will truly need to transform society and the way people think and act on a grand scale, something I believe only God can accomplish through us because it is so big.
Thank you, Grandmere, for your ministry.
Lapin, I read about Elder Jensen. Better late than never, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteMark, no. You shouldn't have read the post tonight. Blessings, m'dear.
Lapin, as I said to AmyJ, I read about Tyler yesterday, but I didn't have the heart to post two such stories yesterday. I'll post today.
Priscilla, my heart breaks for you and all those who suffer because of who they are. If my posts touch you, then I am blessed, indeed.
ReplyDeleteI wonder at what you call my ministry, for, judging by my earlier life, I am an unlikely advocate for the cause of justice and equality for LGTB persons - unlikely but for the grace of God and the movement of the Spirit in my heart.
Asfor Elder Jensen, it is not clear whether his tears are from the crocodile.
ReplyDeleteMimi, you are doing a lot of good here. .
IT, we shall see about Elder Jensen.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words.
May God have mercy!
ReplyDelete