CINCINNATI (FOX19) - Officials with Cincinnati Public Schools have released a video that, according to family members, shows a bullying incident that may have led an 8-year-old boy to take his own life.
WARNING: VIDEO MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME, WATCH HERE
The Carson Elementary student died by suicide on Jan. 26. School security video from Jan. 24 shows a fellow student attack the boy inside the restroom, according to an attorney for the victim’s family.
The child was unconscious on the bathroom floor for at least three minutes before an adult notices the situation. Three adults then surround the boy and he's eventually able to walk himself out of the bathroom.
CPS released the video Friday, one day after the Hamilton County Coroner reopened the child’s death investigation.
Warning: The video may be disturbing to some.
A CPS spokesperson said the school is concerned about the length of time the child lay motionless and the lack of adult supervision at the scene.
However, school officials maintain administrators followed protocol once they became aware of the situation.
A school nurse determined the boy’s vital signs were normal, the spokesperson said.
Administrators told the boy’s mom that he fainted, Jennifer Branch, the family's attorney, claims. She took him to the hospital later in the day.
The video appears to show a boy wearing a red vest checking out a doorway before entering the bathroom and jumping on another student.
As the video continues, the boy in a red vest shakes the hand of another student in a black jacket. The boy then appears to fall on the ground and lays there motionless for several minutes.
The video shows several students walk in and out of the bathroom and check on the motionless boy.
[Attorney: 8-year-old committed suicide two days after assault at school]
The boy missed school on Jan. 25 and went back to Carson Elementary on Jan. 26.
"He came home from school that last day," Branch said. "Mom found him [dead] in his bedroom a few hours later."
Police have finished investigating the incident and no charges were filed.
“Though the connection between this incident at school and Gabriel’s suicide are not clear, the District shared this video with police investigators at the time of the incident,” according to CPS.
Read the entire CPS statement.
If you or anyone you know are feeling desperate, or beyond hope here are some phone numbers that you can call 24 hours a day for free counseling:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Talbert House's hotline line: 513-281-CARE (2273).
Talbert House's text line: Text the phrase 4hope to 839863
The state of Ohio's text line: Text the phrase 4hope to 741741
Mental Health Association of Northern Kentucky and Southwest Ohio: 859-431-1077
Mental Health Access Point mobile crisis line: 513-558-8888.
Mindpeace, at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 513-803-0844.
Mental Health Recovery Services of Warren & Clinton Counties: 1-877-695-6333
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