Girl Complained About Bullying, Killed Herself Minutes Later

2 kids now charged with cyberstalking
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 23, 2018 11:00 AM CST
2 Kids Face Cyberstalking Charges After Girl's Suicide
Two 12-year-olds are charged with cyberstalking.   (AP Photo)

While suspended from school for an alleged fight, 12-year-old Gabriella "Gabbie" Green walked into her mother's bedroom on Jan. 10 to complain about "girl drama" and the "particularly heavy" harassment she was receiving from classmates. Forty minutes later, she was found dead of a suicide that's been followed by cyberstalking charges for two 12-year-olds in Florida, reports the Panama City News Herald. After an investigation involving cellphone data and social media activity, police say two 12-year-olds admitted to behavior they knew would cause Gabbie emotional distress, per MyPanhandle.com. Gabbie's mother, Tanya Green, who identifies the suspects as a male and female, describes the charges as "gratifying," per the News Herald, but she and Gabbie's dad say parents and the school system are really to blame.

Tanya and Shane Green allege their daughter was bullied by students and teachers at Surfside Middle School almost as soon as the family moved to Panama City in October 2016, per the News Herald. One February 2017 report notes a student was accused of threatening to fight Gabbie. Though the complaint was found to be unsubstantiated, Gabbie's parents say the bullying only escalated until students were encouraging their daughter to kill herself. "I said, 'Someone's going to end up dead,'" Gabbie's father recalls. "I never thought this would come to fruition." The school calls Gabbie's suicide "an absolutely tragic situation" but says it followed procedure in regard to the bullying complaint. It notes counseling was ordered for the students involved, who were also told to avoid contact in person and online. (More bullying stories.)

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