Family reveals young girl's tragic death after racist taunts and bullying
WARNING – DISTRESSING CONTENT: A nine-year-old girl has reportedly taken her own life after being bullied with racial taunts, her family says.
McKenzie Nicole Adams was in her fourth year of school in Demopolis, Alabama, and had hopes of becoming a scientist when her body was found by her grandmother on December 3.
Her heartbroken mother Jasmine Adams, who recounted details of her daughter’s traumatised schooling experience, said her “world is gone”.
“She told me that this one particular child was writing her nasty notes in class,” Adams told WIAT.
McKenzie’s aunt, Eddwina Harris, elaborated on the bullying her niece had experienced, telling local media that children told McKenzie “just die”.
“She was being bullied the entire school year, with words such as ‘kill yourself,’ ‘you think you’re white because you ride with that white boy,’ ‘you ugly,’ ‘black bi***,’” Ms Harris told local media.
“Things you wouldn’t think a 9-year-old should know. And for my baby to tell me some of the things they had said to her, I was like, ‘where are they learning this from?’”
Demopolis City Schools attorney Alex Braswell said that it is “cooperating with the Demopolis and Linden Police Departments in their joint investigation of this incident” and said it will continue to make the district a safe place for children – but Ms Adams feels that the school could have done better.
The Demopolis City School System said in a statement sent to NBC News by attorney Alex Braswell, who represents the district.
“I just felt that our trust was in them that they would do the right thing,” Ms Adams added.
This wasn’t the first school at which McKenzie had experienced bullying.
According to the Tuscaloosa News, McKenzie transferred to US Jones Elementary School after her mother and grandmother complained to the State Board of Education that she was being bullied at her other elementary school in Linden.
McKenzie had also attempted to put a stop to the bullying at her new school, telling her teachers and her assistant principal she had been bullied multiple times.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Kids Helpline 1800 551 800.
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
