A nine-year-old boy hanged himself at his home after allegedly being tormented by bullies at his new school, his devastated family revealed today.
Aaron Dugmore died in hospital 24 hours after his mother Kelly Dugmore, found him hanging at their family home in Birmingham around 6pm on Monday night. A police investigation has now been launched to discover what caused Aaron to take his own life.
Emergency crews, including paramedics and police, were called to Aaron’s family home in Erdington, Birmingham, on Monday night. He was rushed to hospital where doctors desperately attempted to revive him but he died on Tuesday from a suspected cardiac arrest. His family claims that the schoolboy had been suffering at the hands of bullies at Erdington Hall Primary School.
Aaron had only been at the school for five weeks after joining in January when he allegedly took his own life. His grandmother Toni Dugmore, 49, from Birmingham, has even put a poster condemning bullying on her own Facebook page. She wrote: “I AM AGAINST BULLYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Her neighbor told how the Ms Dugmore has been left heartbroken by the death of her grandson. Aaron Dugmore, nine, was found hanging at his family home around 6pm on Monday night+5. Aaron Dugmore, nine, was rushed to hospital but died the following day from suspected cardiac arrest. She said: ‘Toni is in absolute bits. She’s crushed by Aaron’s death.
Apparently he had been targeted by a gang of older bullies at the school. They made fun of him because he was the new kid but no one really thought it was any more than playground stuff. The school, which caters for 450 pupils aged 3-11, received an ‘inadequate’ rating by Ofsted inspectors last year. Aaron had started in Year 5 recently but, according to staff, had already ‘settled in quickly’ with his classmates.
Family and friends have paid emotional tributes to the popular lad on Facebook. Cousin Jack Jones wrote: ‘RIP Aaron gone but not forgotten. We will always miss you.
Many also expressed their horror at the bullying allegations. Friend Claire Louise wrote: ‘Thinking of u at this very very sad time think these schools need to fix up on friking [sic] bullies now this is getting unbelievable and out of hand now.
Lewis Thomas said: “All them dirty little bully’s [sic] that bullied our little friend Aaron to take his own life you just need to get a grip and hope you all rot in a hole RIP AARON WE ALL LOVE YOU xxxxxxxx’.
Tracy Wood wrote: “rip to arron 9 year old boy who sadly taken his life cause of nasty bullys this needs to stop its disgusting that kids can be so cruel to others in this world bring your kids up right or dont have them rip Aaron god bless you little man.”
Erdington Hall head teacher Martyn Collin sent a letter home to parents on Thursday informing them of Aaron’s death. He wrote: We have spoken to all of our junior children and shared this tragic news with them. We have explained to the children that there are some things that they can do at this time if they feel upset. The school will remain open but we will fully understand that you may choose for your child to be at home if they are upset.
A spokesman for the school today added: The teachers, support staff and Governors of Erdington Hall are deeply saddened by the news that Aaron Dugmore died on Tuesday this week. Our thoughts and prayers are with Aaron’s family at this difficult time. Although Aaron had only been at the school a short time he had settled quickly into Year 5 and begun to work well in his small tutor group. The school are working closely with the local authority to offer support to pupils and staff.
Aaron’s 22-year-old mother Kelly uploaded the last picture she took of her son to Facebook hours after his death. It shows him sitting in a Santa sleigh grinning next to Father Christmas. She wrote: ‘Its better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all xxxx’. Aaron had just become a big brother after his mother gave birth to baby Grace last September.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: We were called to an address in Tyburn Road, Birmingham, to a suspected cardiac arrest. The patient, a boy, was taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, drugs were administered, and CPR and resuscitation was carried out en-route.
Birmingham Children’s was pre-alerted to his arrival and he was handed over to clinicians at the hospital.
West Midlands Police said the death had been referred to the Birmingham Coroner. Detective Inspector David Wallbank said: ‘We are working closely with specialists from the health services, children’s services and the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board to fully investigate the circumstances of this tragic death. The coroner has been notified.’
A Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board spokesman said: ‘The BSCB will review the circumstances of this case.’
Source: Daily Mail, UK
