(Image Source: WBBM)
BY ERIN DISMEIER
ANCHOR ERICA COGHILL
A tragedy in Illinois -- ten-year-old Ashlynn Conner hung herself Friday, committing suicide. The 5th-grader’s family believes bullying prompted her suicide, and hopes her death will shine light on the problem.
ABC News spoke with Ashlynn’s mother, Stacy, about her daughter’s difficult time at school.
“Ashlynn, now in fifth grade, told her mom that girls called her fat ugly and worse.”
STACY: ‘Any hateful word...she was called a slut in school. She came home and told me that and she didn’t even know what that word meant.’”
Still, the News Gazette spoke with the county coroner -- who says Ashlynn’s death is still being investigated.
“There are all kinds of aspects of this death to look into... Bullying was brought up to us as a piece of the investigation, and we are still finding out information.”
Still -- her family hopes her story will save others from the same fate. And the Conner family may have already gotten their wish. After hearing about Ashlynn, a community center in Indy Parks, Indiana is now holding anti-bullying programs after school.
WXIN spoke with an advocate who says -- parents are the best defense against bullying.
“This is a serious issue and parents are their child’s best advocate. They need to make their child feel safe and that they’re in their corner.”
Transcript by Newsy.
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