Local student shares story of suicide attempt after bullying

Описание: CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Counselors spoke with students at Anderson High School Monday, February 13, after a classmate committed suicide over the weekend.

Authorities have not said if they know why he did it. Another local 15-year-old, Xia Whitfield, was bullied at school to the point she didn't want to live. She shared her story with Local 12 and talked about what could have made a difference.

The bullying happened at Western Hills High School. In 2016, when Zia Whitfield was 14-years-old, she said the teasing was constant over what she had and didn't have. Xia said she tried ignoring the bullies, she tried fighting back; then she gave up. So Xia tried to die.

Her father walked in on her suicide attempt. She hadn't told her father what was going on because she said snitches get bullied.

She gives different advice now, "Tell someone, as soon as you can run and tell someone."

Xia's parents said always trying to stay home from school as a warning sign. Cincinnati' Children's Suicide Prevention experts said children who were depressed will have a cluster of symptoms or warning signs of suicide. Those can include frequent physical complaints such as headaches or stomach aches, frequent crying or sadness. They may refuse to go to school.

Pastor Ennis Tait with Church of the Living God said, "We want to be able to combat this with the church, community, families; when children are crying out everyone knows what to listen for."

At her church Xia can talk to anyone and now she sees the bullies in a different way. Xia is back to thinking about the future and she said she wanted to be a prosecutor.

It's sometimes hard to tell the difference between a moody teenager and a depressed one. But if parents don't entertain the thought they can miss the warning signs.