7-year-old's suicide shocks Detroit community

[UFO]

http://www.freep.com/article/2012052...ocks-community

i have never heard of a child so young committing suicide. In the article, it references a six year old committing suicide in 2010.

Peering through the keyhole of a locked door in her family's home near Detroit's New Center, a 14-year-old girl saw the unthinkable: her 7-year-old brother hanging from a bunk bed with a belt around his neck, a police report says.

How horrifying. My sympathies go to this family and friends. So sad.

I just reread the article.

It's just unthinkable to me.

[tlcya]

So tragic. Prayers for his loved ones.

[HMSHood]

I am surprised a 7 year old committed suicide.

[txsvicki]

It is shocking that a child that young would have the know how to commit suicide.

[Charlie09]

I don't think my 8.5 year old would even know what suicide is.
I feel so bad for the mom and rest of the family.

[MayraMM]

So the indications of depression are all via the mother, the sister found him because she was peeping into the keyhole of his room, and he used a belt to hang himself? The belt noose is pretty sophisticated for a 7-year-old, don't you think? Maybe I'm jaded, but something doesn't feel right about this. Maybe he was playing with a sister, and like kids tend to do, did something stupid which resulted in his death and the family, understandably, wants to protect the surviving child?

[Lera213]

Originally Posted by MayraMM

So the indications of depression are all via the mother, the sister found him because she was peeping into the keyhole of his room, and he used a belt to hang himself? The belt noose is pretty sophisticated for a 7-year-old, don't you think? Maybe I'm jaded, but something doesn't feel right about this. Maybe he was playing with a sister, and like kids tend to do, did something stupid which resulted in his death and the family, understandably, wants to protect the surviving child?

I so totally agree with you.

[miimaa]

IMO (based on other stories I have read about this case) this was not about bullying but that the boy was not able to see or be with his father.

[mamashawn]

snipped:

...had been depressed due to her recent separation from his father; the fact that he had been bullied continuously by the children at school, in addition to the constant teasing that he had endured because he was the only boy in the home of eight females," a report says.

I'm not surprised, sadly. My first suicide attempt was when I was seven. My prayers go out to his family. May they find peace in this horrible situation.

[JeannaT]

So sad. At this age, usually children have the MOST will to live of any age. Death is horrific to them - they have death phobias - but I guess one in a billion will do this. It seems that's about literally what the stats are on 7 year old suicides - approaching one in a billion.

Mamashawn - sorry you've had such struggles - but when you say "your first suicide attempt", and yet thankfully you're still here with us, your attempts were probably more cries for help than true full efforts to die. Prayers you don't actually fully try to kill yourself.

With this boy, he seems to have meant to die, not just send a missive for help. Sad. Very very rare.

[Reality Orlando]

Originally Posted by Charlie09

I don't think my 8.5 year old would even know what suicide is.
I feel so bad for the mom and rest of the family.

I agree. Something in society is very broken in this new generation. Kids need to get back out and play and work out the frustrations of the day and learn how to deal with each other. Sitting in front of a computer, or video games, or TV is not healthy. In so many cases, mothers intervening into every little negative of a kid's life rather than the kid working out his own solutions does nothing to allow that child to grow and learn how to deal with life. Kids are not learning how to interact with one another or how to deal with the sticks and stones of childhood. So many are learning to be victims and IMO that brings nothing but sadness and despair. How very sad. Not saying this is the case here, but when a child that is 7 can think to take his own life, well, enough said. My prayers are with this child.

[mamashawn]

Originally Posted by JeannaT

Mamashawn - sorry you've had such struggles - but when you say "your first suicide attempt", and yet thankfully you're still here with us, your attempts were probably more cries for help than true full efforts to die. Prayers you don't actually fully try to kill yourself.

You're right. There were only 3 attempts made. Once when I was 7, twice when I was 12. I'm 33 now, and have a VERY strong desire to live. God is good, and he has blessed me. Thank you for your prayers.

[The Farm]

I did not even what suicide was at 7 years old but I also grew up in a much different generation.

[Soulmagent]

My son is about to turn seven and my DD'S are 14.

What warning sign do you have that your 7 year old would ever do something like this? I mean I know you know when they are upset and their feelings are hurt but I would never in a million years think anything like this. Where did he see this or learn this ?



I am going to have lunch at school with mine today because he asked me too. I said no because today is he last day of school for him before summer but I changed my mind.

[JenniferTx]

So sad that he was in so much pain that he decided to kill himself. Tragic story. Sometimes bullying and teasing is just like putting a gun to someones head and pulling the trigger. Bullying is just wrong but has been going on for so many years.
I feel so bad for his sister that saw him hanging. Bless her heart! She will have that memory for the rest of her life. RIP

[The Farm]

The part I do not get is that bullying really has always been a present thing among children. You know such as the weak and different get picked on. What makes them now want to end it all at such a young age?

mamashawn I am sorry for your troubles, maybe you can shed some light on this for us?

[mamashawn]

Originally Posted by The Farm

The part I do not get is that bullying really has always been a present thing among children. You know such as the weak and different get picked on. What makes them now want to end it all at such a young age?

mamashawn I am sorry for your troubles, maybe you can shed some light on this for us?

For me I grew up dealing with some pretty big things. My brother was abused and neglected by his birth mother. He was adopted when he was 5, and I was born when he was 11. He started drinking when he was 12. Drug abuse followed coupled (or tripled?) with this was the first signs of bipolar disorder, even though we didn't realize this until he was officially diagnosed in his late 30's. My brother was my favorite person growing up, even though he exposed me to some pretty crazy things.

My aunt, who lived just across town was a foster parent to some kids who were severely abused and neglected. Three of those kids were adopted. Again, because of the things that they dealt with I was exposed to them before I had the ability to work through them in a positive way.

Add to that depression, lack of friends and a general feeling of not belonging.

I wasn't really restricted as to what I could watch on television, so I had seen movies that displayed suicide victims. It seemed so simple and easy to make all of the hurt go away.

This boy had expressed a desire to harm himself. IMO, a pastor would probably not be the best professional to handle counseling, at least not by themselves. I think they should be part of the team that works to support the trouble youngster. Also, I feel that anyone who expresses a desire to harm themselves should be placed under a "suicide watch" until they can be officially evaluated by a professional who specializes in such matters.

[The Farm]

I'm sorry mamashawn, I understand.

[justthinkin]

Teased at school, then teased at home. This poor child had no where to run, no where to hide. Very sad.

[Hopeful One]

Originally Posted by justthinkin

Teased at school, then teased at home. This poor child had no where to run, no where to hide. Very sad.

Where do you see that he was teased at home? By his parents or something?