Are Teens Being Bullied to Death?
The Doctors are joined by parents Freddie and Charlene, who share the story of their 13-year-old daughter Rosalie, who they say was bullied and took her own life. Some are calling a tragic event like this bullycide.
Rosalie's parents tell us that their daughter was taunted by other kids at school and teased constantly about her teeth. They say the bullying was so extreme that Rosalie frequently asked to stay home and also began self-harming in the form of cutting. Her parents also tell us that someone at her school made a video that was sent around to other students, where Rosalie was repeatedly called ugly.
Watch: What You Need to Know If Your Child Is a Victim of Bullying
In late November 2017 just before the family was about to have dinner, they discovered that their 13-year-old had hung herself in her bedroom. After spending 2 days in the hospital, doctors told the family that she did not have any brain activity and there was nothing that could be done. On December 1, 2017, she died.
After her death, they searched her room and found a notebook where she wrote, "Sorry Mom and Dad. I love you... I'm sorry Mom, you're gonna find me like this." They also say she requested that her photo was not to be used at her funeral.
Freddie and Charlene and their lawyer Brian Claypool join The Doctors to share things other parents can do to help protect their kids in and out of school. They are now working on ways to help protect other victims of bullying with "Rosalie's Law," which aims to bring better awareness and resources about bullying.
Additionally, their lawyer urges parents to:
Partner with your child and make sure they know it is okay to come to you and discuss bullying
Document bullying and create a paper trail of any incidents
Treat verbal bullying the same as physical bullying
According to Brian some signs of bullying may include:
Poor school performance or a dip in grades
A change in eating habits
Isolating or a change in personality
The Doctors are also joined by Lauren and Molly, creators of the Kind Campaign, a non-profit school program that advocates against bullying. They have created programs and curriculums that can help fight the epidemic year-round. They say they see bullying as early as elementary school.
"May her death not be in vain and may she rest in peace," Dr. Travis says after taking a moment of silence to remember Rosalie.
For more information and resources on suicide prevention, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at (800) 273-TALK, or visit The Suicide Prevention Resource Center website.
