Parents: Kids Broke Boy's Glasses, Then He Killed Himself

Grieving Indiana parents say their 10-year-old son took his own life this month following relentless bullying at school. Sammy Teusch, a fourth-grader, died May 5. Details have not been provided. The Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation is investigating along with Greenfield Police, Fox News reports. According to the Teusch family, Sammy committed suicide after he was beaten up on a school bus and cornered in a school bathroom. Father Sam Teusch says he woke one Sunday morning and discovered his youngest son's body. "How could God take my kid from here? Of course that was going through my head," he tells WXIN. But "God didn't take my kid; hate did."

Teusch says Sammy had been bullied "for a long time." Kids initially teased him about his glasses, then went on "to make fun of his teeth," he tells WTHR. He adds Sammy was recently "beat up on the school bus, and the kids broke his glasses and everything." He says he reached out to the school for what must've been the 20th time. "They knew this was going on," he says. "I'm like, 'What are you doing about this? It keeps getting worse, and worse, and worse.'" In a statement, the school notes staff "worked with the Teusch family quite a bit over the last 18 months." "The parents did report the manner of death as a suicide, and we are investigating their claims related to bullying," the statement says.

Police Chief Brian Hartman says officers can't release much information as the case involves children, per Fox. But he warns against the spreading of "rumors," including "some naming children." "We continue to interview people that may or may not be involved," he says. "This is how we sort truth from rumors." Police have also urged parents to talk to their kids about "every aspect of their lives" because "the more conversations you have about everyday life, the more comfortable they will be talking about the hard stuff," per WXIN. (If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.)