AMELIA, Va. (WTVR)--An Amelia county couple alleges that bullying is to blame for their 8-year old daughter’s suicide attempt.
They say repeated encounters on a school bus with much older students have happened since the first week of school.
“She tells me that she’s been hit and kicked. I feel people need to know that this bullying is getting worse and it’s closer to every community. I would like to advocate and make people aware of what bullying does and how we can prevent it before it’s a problem,” said Carl Biggs.
Biggs says the past week has been very trying for everyone in their family. “Why did this go through her head?” questioned Biggs.
He explained to CBS 6 that his 8-year old daughter took sleeping pills to end her life. He believes she was pushed to the edge, unable to cope after complaining of repeated bullying by older kids on her Amelia county school bus.
She ended up at the hospital.
“The doctor said she may have overdosed. I was thinking what could be so bad in her life that she would want to take her own,” Biggs said.
Neighbor and friend, Bethany Hester sympathizes with Biggs and his wife. She tells us her then 7-year old daughter faced similar issues on that same bus last year.
Hester believes that a school policy allowing elementary, middle and high school kids to all ride the same bus should be changed.
“My neighbor says they’re kids and they will call names, but this is just going too far. Any time a high school kid can pick on an elementary kid, that’s just not right,” said Hester.
“Any time you have 30 or so kids on the bus and only one bus monitor, it will be out of control” added Biggs.
Amelia County Superintendent Dr. BJ Brewers said that any and all allegations from parents, students, or teachers of bullying are thoroughly investigated.
“While we cannot comment on a specific case, we will take appropriate action when any student is found to be involved in bullying another student,” Brewer said.
