Holly Blue is heartbroken after hearing what neighborhood kids did to her 9-year-old son with autism. Their actions were nothing short of criminal, the kind of bullying we saw when students poured superglue on Hannah Combs' hair.
The incident happened near Blue's front yard, and thankfully her son was able to get away before things got more serious.
"He told me they had tried to force him to eat an Oreo with diaper rash cream inside," she said. "They shoved it in his mouth. They had made him eat dirt outside and threatened to punch him if he didn't pull down his pants," said Blue. "They held him down and would not let him get help from me."
Blue immediately called the police and her husband spoke with the bullies' parents. She also notified the school of the incident so they are aware of the horrors.
"I was flabbergasted," she said. "How could this happen to him? To be bullied, tortured, belittled… basically told you're no good. I was horrified."
Blue's son was so shaken from the incident that he revealed suicidal thoughts. The mother has come forward with her heartbreaking story in hopes that parents will be more involved in their children's lives.
"I don't want this situation to happen to my son or anyone's son," she said.
Blue was fortunate to have a son who told her about what happened. However, many young people choose to suffer in silence. Parents, caretakers, and family members should always be on the lookout for these signs of bullying: unexplainable injuries, changes in eating habits, faking illness or pervasive stomachaches and headaches, self-destructive behavior, and poor grades at school.
Perhaps more importantly, these are the signs that your child is a bully:
- Increased aggression
- Friends who are bullies
- Frequent reprimanding from teachers and school administration
- Blaming others for their problems/difficulty accepting responsibility
- Competitive attitude
- Unexplainable extra money or new belongings
If you or someone you know is a bully or being bullied, visit StopBullying.gov for help or call 1-800-273-TALK.
Please SHARE this important message to take a hard stance against bullying and to help parents reach their children in need.
