You are here: Home » Featured » CA Police Will Not File Charges In Case Of Boy Bullied To Death For Being Gay

CA Police Will Not File Charges In Case Of Boy Bullied To Death For Being Gay

09/29/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Seth Walsh is another name that has to be added to the long list of young lesbians, gays and transpeople who have died because of bullying. The day after news of the suicide of Asher Brown in Texas, word has come down that police in Tehachapi, California will not be pursuing charges against the kids who bullied Walsh to the point where the thirteen year old tried to hang himself from a tree in his back yard. Nine days later, on the day that word of Asher Brown’s suicide broke, Walsh died while on life support.

Jeff Kermonde, Tehachapi Police Chief said “Several of the kids that we talked to broke down into tears. They had never expected an outcome such as this.” Which is, of course, true. They did not expect anyone to die from the bullying or feel miserable or feel hurt. They expected that their victim was going to be able to laugh it off and see the humor in the humiliation, degradation and pain of the bullying.

Walsh’s friends have stated that he was picked on for years because he was openly gay. School administrators have said that they have an anti-bullying program in place, but his schoolmates at Jacobsen Middle School in Tehachapi have said that the school did not offer Walsh any protection or guidance. It may very well be that they expected Walsh to seek it out, but for someone who is being bullied, it is often hard to reach out in order to get help, and often help has to be given.

At 3:30 pm, a memorial service will be held for Walsh at the First Baptist Church in Tehachapi. A YouTube video by a member of his family sends the message about Walsh that “He was bullied and teased, now in the hospital, this face right here is suffering because of bullying, never say a mean thing again.” The community is pulling together for the Walsh family and a fund has been set up at Bank of the Sierra for donations. In Bakersfield, Aubrey’s Café on Union Avenue has a box where people can send messages in support of the family.

Kathi Briefer-Gose, an LGBT rights activist, has said “We decided that we as a community in Bakersfield and as a county needed to do something to show our support. People can bring down cards, letters, to tell the Walsh family that they are behind them.”

The LGBT Community from across the nation is likely mourning the loss of young Seth Walsh. LezGetReal’s editorial board sends their collective sympathies and hope that one day bullying like that which cost both Seth Walsh and Asher Brown their lives will come to an end.

Source