Family says eighth grader died by suicide, suffered from bullying
SHOWING ABOUT THIS NEW SYSTEM
DEVELOPING IN THE TROPICS.
>> NOW TO A TOPIC THAT IS HARD
TO HEAR, BUT IMPORTANT TO TALK
ABOUT.
>> WRAL HAS LEARNED THE MEDICAL
CRISIS AT WENDELL MIDDLE SCHOOL
WAS
A SUICIDE.
>> FAMILY SHARED THESE PICTURES
OF A GREATER AUSTIN PENDERGRASS
WITH US. HE WAS JUST 13 YEARS
OLD, ACCORDING TO NORTH
CAROLINA'S CHILD FATALITY TASK
FORCE SUICIDE IS THE LEADING
CAUSE OF DEATH FOR 10 TO 14
YEAR-OLDS IN NORTH CAROLINA.
WREL'S CHELSEA DONOVAN JOINS
US LIVE NOW IN KNIGHTDALE
STATION PARK WHERE THERE IS A
BALLOON RELEASE PLANNED FOR
THE MEMORY OF AUSTIN. THIS
FAMILY, THIS COMMUNITY IS
REALLY MOURNING TODAY.
>> IT'S SUCH A TRAGEDY THAN
JUST A DAY AFTER AUSTIN'S
DEATH, FAMILY AND FRIENDS WILL
GATHER HERE FOR THAT. BOONE
RELEASED THE GOAL TO HONOR THE
MEMORY OF 13 YEAR-OLD AUSTIN
PENDER GRASS. AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE, THIS FAMILY IS JUST
MIRED IN GRIEF, BUT THEY HOPE
AMONGST ALL OF THIS GRIEVING
THAT THIS TRAGEDY SERVES AS
AWARENESS TO PARENTS AND
FAMILIES
>> IT'S REALLY SAD THAT PAID
THE LEFT US. AND I MEAN, WE
WILL FOREVER CHERISH ALL THE
MEMORIES. BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
LOOKING IS GOING BRING OUR BABY
BACK LIKE.
>> THE JESSICA SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF THE FAMILY THAT IS
TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE LOSS OF
A 13 YEAR-OLD BOY. ALSTON WAS
AN AMAZING LITTLE HE LOVED
TURTLES. THINK YOU'D LIKE TO
BAKE WITH HIS MOM.
AND SIBLINGS. PARIS IS THE AUNT
OF AUSTIN PENDER GRASS WHO TOOK
HIS OWN LIFE INSIDE WHEN DELL
MIDDLE SCHOOL YESTERDAY
MORNING. LAST YEAR HE STRUGGLED
A AND I THINK THAT CAME FROM
SOME KIDS. BULLY WILL FROM A
KID BULLYING HIM FROM WHAT I'VE
BEEN TOLD, HIS FAMILY SAID
AUSTIN WAS BULLIED BUT DIDN'T
SHARE TOO MANY DETAILS.
PRINCIPAL CATHERINE TRUDEAU
WROTE IT IS AN UNEXPECTED LOSS
AND WE ARE SADDENED BY IT GOING
ON TO SAY THE LOSS WAS IN 8TH
GRADE STUDENT. I ASKED WAKE
COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TODAY
IF BULLYING WAS OCCURRING AND
A SPOKESPERSON SAID THEY ARE
LOOKING INTO THE INCIDENT.
GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING
BECAUSE KIDS A WHOLE AND IT'S
SUCH A SHAME. IF YOU HAD
ENCOUNTER WHAT AP IT, PSYCHO
THERAPIST DOCTOR COMOLLI USE
ELSE AS NAVIGATING TALKING WITH
YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT UNEXPECTED
DEATHS LIKE THIS CAN BE
CHALLENGING BUT NECESSARY.
AND I THINK THAT IS.
>> ABSOLUTELY INAPPROPRIATE BY
JUST ASKING, WHAT ARE YOUR
FEELINGS ABOUT THIS? WHAT ARE
YOU FEELING? HOW ARE YOU
FEELING? YOU CAN COME TO ME AND
ANY TIME IT IS SO HARD. SO MUCH
IS JUST BE MINDFUL AND TALK TO
YOUR CHILDREN
>> A GOOD MESSAGE THERE.
AND WE SHOULD MENTION, IF, YOU
KNOW, A FAMILY MEMBER OR A
CHILD THAT NEEDS MENTAL HEALTH
RESOURCES OR ADVICE, WE'VE GOT
IT NOW ON OUR WEBSITE. YOU CAN
USE THE SEARCH TERM KIDS,
MENTAL HEALTH FOR RESOURCES
AND GOT ITS ALMOST TOO MUCH TO
TO TO THINK ABOUT IT. SO SAD
>> CHELSEA DONOVAN REPORTING
LIFE IN KNIGHTDALE FORCED THANK
YOU. AND WE DO WANT TO MENTION
TO EVERYONE AT HOME. THIS WEEK
IS NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS
IN SEVERE DISTRESS, PLEASE
CONTACT THE NATIONAL SUICIDE