A BULLIED eight-year-old boy was stepped over and left unconscious in a school bathroom two days before he took his own life at home.
Surveillance camera footage is said to have captured Gabriel Taye being punched to the ground at Carson Elementary School in Ohio.
Students can be seen wandering around an unconscious Gabriel, poking and prodding him as he lay motionless on a bathroom floor, a 2017 school surveillance video shows.
His classmates allegedly continued to ignore him for several minutes until an assistant principal stepped in, the Washington Post reports.
School administrators failed to call 911 when Gabriel regained consciousness and waited more than an hour to call his mother, Cornelia Reynolds, according to court documents.
Reynolds and Gabriel’s father, Benyam Taye, claim the Cincinnati school never mentioned the bullying incident and instead told them their son had fainted.
The third grader was allegedly bullied again the following day and had his water bottle snatched away and flushed down the toilet.
He hanged himself in his bedroom that night, Courthouse News Service reported.
In a civil suit filed by Gabriel’s parents in August 2017, they claim he allegedly told his teacher what had happened before leaving school for the day.
The lawsuit filed against Cincinnati Public Schools accuses the system of allowing the school to degenerate into a place where bullies run rampant, which ultimately caused their son’s death, Cincinnati.com reported.
In an emotional statement she shared on Facebook, Reynolds said she felt “robbed” of her only child and paid tribute to her “shining light.”
“Gabriel was a shining light to everyone who knew and loved him,” she wrote in May 2017.
“We miss him desperately and suffer every day. If I could I would give anything to have him back. My only child, my best friend, and my first true love isn’t here with us physically but I know he’s here in spirit.”
The mourning mum urged parents to tell their children to speak up if they’re being bullied and shed light on the youth suicide “epidemic” in today’s society.
“People need to know the truth and help fix this epidemic in our society by spreading awareness and speaking up,” Reynolds wrote.
“Parents it’s OK, to tell your children to reach for help when someone is hurting them, whether it’s at school, outside, home, or anywhere. #IamGabe”
There were at least six separate instances where bullies allegedly targeted the eight-year-old during his final school year, the lawsuit claims, but his school neglected to tell his parents or withheld information.
Carson Elementary School pushed back against the claims, arguing that Gabriel had never mentioned being hurt by other children and had no visible injuries.
School officials contended on Wednesday that they’re not responsible for violence between students in a hearing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th circuit.
As the legal battle stemming from Gabriel’s death continues, his mother vowed to continue the family’s fight for justice.
“I will fight everyday, every second of every minute. I am my sons [sic] voice and it will be heard. As Gabes [sic] mother, it’s my obligation to make sure that this will never happen again.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
