Thirteen-Year-Old Commits Suicide at North Carolina Middle School

A North Carolina boy died by suicide after “cruel” and relentless bullying, his mother says.

Thirteen-year-old Austin Pendergrass was found dead inside a bathroom at his middle school on Tuesday, sending waves of shock in the tight-knit community of Wendell. Described initially by the district as a “medical emergency,” his death was confirmed to be a suicide on Wednesday by his mother, WNCN reported.

Jessica Pendergrass told the outlet: “While this is the worst possible thing I can imagine, I just want to tell parents ‘check on your kids.’ The signs were there but the bullying, it was so bad. Just teach your kids to be kind because kids can be so cruel.”

She fondly remembered Austin as a loving and smart boy who enjoyed baking with his mother and liked turtles.

“He loved sea turtles,” she continued to WNCN. “He used to say ‘Don’t use straws because they’re bad for the turtles.’”

Ms. Pendergrass also shared that her son had been bullied since the sixth grade and the attacks had taken a huge toll on him. She’s now hoping she can spread awareness about the effects of bullying on children.

“I just wish Austin knew all these people were here to support [him]. I just wish he didn’t feel so alone,” she told local news station WRAL. “Just teach your kids to be kind, because kids can be so cruel.”

On Wednesday, loved ones and family friends organized a vigil and released red balloons in honor of Austin.

Pendergrass pleaded with parents to check their children’s social media and to offer them a safe place where they can talk about their problems.