Prayers going out to Crystal Smith and her family after her 10-year-old son Kevin Reese, Jr. c*ommitt*ed su*ici*de.
The 10-year-old h*ung himself in a closet after he dealt with m*erciless t*orment from b*ullies at Robinson Elementary School in Katy.
“They wrote on his tablet to ‘K*ill yourself, you don’t belong here,’” Smith told the local news station. “When it got physical back in November, he came home c*rying because he didn’t f*ight back and one of the boys p*unched him s*everal times coming from recess.”
After Smith reported the i*ncident to school o*fficials, she was told that there was not evidence of a “physical f*ight,” according to KTRK, adding that school o*fficials told her they never found “any b*ullying going on.”
Then one day in January, Kevin s*uffered all he could take.
“He just had enough and he felt that he was backed into a corner,” Smith said.
Kevin and his 13-year-old sister got off the school bus and went home. Crystal was out of town for work and his stepdad was on his way home from work. However, before his stepdad could get home and possibly intervene, the 10-year-old was found h*anging in his closet.
Kevin’s sister called Crystal, s*creaming. “She was just s*creaming on the phone, and I didn’t understand and she s*creamed, ‘Kevin,’” she said. Eventually, Crystal realized that her son had c*ommitt*ed s*uicid*e.
“He h*ung himself in his closet. I told her to h*ang on with me, if you c*ut him down and while you’re c*utting him down, call 911,” she added.
Now the g*rieving mother is telling his story with the hope of helping other families of young children who have been b*ullied into h*arming themselves, or t*ragically, taking their own lives.
“Pay attention to your child, don’t assume that things are handled at the school, stay on top of it until you see something come out on the end,” Smith said.
If you or someone you know is feeling s*uicida*l, you can get help by contacting the National Sui*cide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.