SOUTHAVEN, Miss. —12-year-old’s death prompts community and local leaders to push for new legislation against bullying.
Singing through tears but this vigil is more than just lit candles and sobbing loved ones wiping their its a united front to make sure this is the last
time any child feels helpless because of bullying.
“He should not have felt that was his only option,” Crystal Lebo, a local Southaven parent, said.
On March 6th Andy Leach’s parents found him in their home garage after taking his own life notes found later on, have led them to believe he was
being bullied.
“It was found out that he was going to be involved in a fight after school. But he didn’t really come to us about a lot of things,” Cheryl Hudson, Andy’s mother.
While Andy is gone his parents want to make sure his voice and story saves lives.
“The noise is getting louder for changes in Mississippi his voice is being heard not just in MS but all around the world right now,” Matt Leach and Cheryl Hudson, Andy’s parents, said.
Everyone grabbed a candle and admitted that bullying is a problem.
State representative Steve Hopkins (R-DeSoto) says he plans to pass tougher laws and get more funding to remove bullying from schools.
“We gotta look at the need and this is a need mental health is a need having a safe learning environment is a need and we have to address it,” Hopkins said.
Right now he says students can be sent to a juvenile detention center for bullying but he wants tougher consequence and he plans to push for what he’s calling Andy’s law—a law that would help provide funds to fight against bullying.
“We’ve got to give the resources and the training to make sure that’s possible and that’s what I am going to see happen,” Hopkins said.
He plans to push Andy’s Law next year in hopes that Andy’s voice never fades.
The school district came out to support their support of the family today. According to Andy’s parent’s the 12 year old did reach out to his friends
about thoughts of taking his life but none of them knew what to do with that information.
His parent’s say parents should pay attention to every little sign in their case, Andy would make excuses to avoid going to school.
