According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 1999 through 2015, 1,309 children ages 5 to 12 took their own lives in the U.S.
In Alabama, family and friends are mourning the recent death of 9-year-old McKenzie Adams. Her family believes bullying at school led McKenzie to take her life, a claim disputed by school officials.
“Things you wouldn’t think a 9-year-old should know,” her mother Jasmine Adams told a local news station. “And before my baby could tell me some of the things they said to her, I was like, ‘Where are they learning this from?'”
At least three other children under the age of 12 have also died by suicide this year.
In November, 9-year-old Maddie Whitsett in Birmingham took her own life, and in August, 9-year-old Jamel Myles killed himself after being bullied for saying he was gay.
Mental health experts say while bullying plays a big role, other issues can contribute to this tragic trend.
(Source: Charisma News)