One year after 10-year-old Sammy Teusch died by suicide following relentless bullying, his father says it’s “disgusting” and “devastating” that no school officials have been held accountable.
On May 4, 2024, after pointing out one of his bullies at his brother’s soccer game, Sammy took his own life the next morning. His father found him hanging in his bedroom, just as he was preparing pancakes for breakfast.
Sammy, a fourth-grader at Greenfield Elementary in Indiana, endured two years of verbal and physical bullying—mocked for his glasses and appearance, shoved into a trash can, and ignored when he asked teachers for help. The school labeled him a “discipline problem” rather than a victim.
Despite the family’s repeated pleas, the bullying continued. Sammy’s father recalls him saying, “They’re not listening to me,” and feeling utterly helpless.
After his death, no disciplinary action was taken against the bullies or school staff. The Teusch family filed a wrongful death lawsuit, naming school officials who remain in their positions.
“He wasn’t depressed,” his father said. “He was scared and thought this was the only way out.”
Sammy’s family is now dedicated to raising awareness about bullying and childhood suicide. “If this can happen to Sammy, it can happen to any child,” his father said. “We’re going to change the world in his name.”