CINCINNATI, Ohio — 8-year-old Gabriel Taye’s family says he was bullied into suicide.
Taye was a third-grader at Carson Elementary when it all happened. His family says he was bullied here so badly that he killed himself when he got home from school one day.
Three years later, they’re standing up for him and standing up against bullying.
- 8-year-old Gabriel Taye committed suicide after his family says he was bullied
- Three years later they’re remembering him and sending up balloons in his honor
- Family is filing wrongful death lawsuit against school district, still pending
A crowd lined the street along Gabriel’s Way in Cincinnati with anti-bullying signs, balloons in his favorite color, while his mom read outoud, a letter of what she’s been feeling for the last three years.
“You gave my life meaning, you taught me strength, and you gave me hope,” said Gabriel’s mother Cornelia Daniels., “I love you so much beyond the moon and the stars until our souls meet again, my sweet baby, mommy,” she said.
Gabriel Taye, a third-grader, took his own life after his family says he was repeatedly bullied at school.
A video showing him unconscious in the school bathroom days before, is just one of the reasons the family lawyer says they’re still fighting in court.
“It took months after Gabe died that they ever knew that Gabe had been bullied in the bathroom two days before he committed suicide, so the lawsuit is about finding what happened, fixing that problem and bringing closure to the family,” said Family Attorney Jennifer Branch.
She says that wrongful death lawsuit against the school highlights a bigger problem that brought dozens of people here today.
“We’re in an epidemic in this state for children committing suicide, so the message should be, everyone should talk to children about bullying,” said Branch.
A message written on signs, held by grade schoolers themselves on Gabriel’s Way, and echoed through parents and friends who came to show support.
“It’s so much bullying going on and people, it just seem like push it under the rug, so our children and everything, we have to talk to them,” said Kila Veal, a family friend.
Messages, some tied to ribbons, as they let go in memory of Gabriel Taye.
“You not forgotten, we here for you and we’re gonna keep striving to stop this bullying,” said Veal.
District leaders could not be reached for comment, but they have said in past statements that they’ve made changes to address bullying. In the meantime, the lawsuit against the school district is still pending.
