Seth Walsh: Gay 13-Year-Old Hangs Self After Reported Bullying

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Daily Blotter

Seth Walsh (YouTube)

NEW YORK (CBS) Seth Walsh, a 13-year-old California middle school student, died in the hospital on Tuesday, days after he attempted to take his own life after reportedly enduring relentless bullying.

PICTURES: Seth Walsh, Bullying Victim?

Seth, a student at Jacobsen Middle School in Tehachapi, Calif., was found unconscious and not breathing on Sept. 19 after he apparently tried to hang himself from a tree in his backyard, according to a police report obtained by The Bakersfield Californian.

Friends told NBC affiliate KGET that Seth had been picked on for years because he was gay.

Police investigators interviewed some of the young people who taunted Seth the day he hanged himself, and determined despite the tragic outcome of their ridicule, their actions do not constitute a crime, reported KGET.

"Several of the kids that we talked to broke down into tears," Jeff Kermode, Tehachapi Police Chief, said. "They had never expected an outcome such as this."

"[Bullying] is obviously something we're looking at," Sgt. Wyatt Empey told The Bakersfield Californian.

Seth was rushed to the hospital and was placed in life support in critical condition, but according to TehachapiNews.com, he succumbed to his injuries Tuesday.

Seth attended Jacobsen Middle School last year before transferring into independent study. Tehachapi Union School District Superintendent Richard Swanson told The Bakersfield Californian that Seth was a good student and liked by the faculty.

"He was different. He knew he was different," Seth's mother, Judy Walsh said according to TehachapiNews.com. "He was a very loving boy, very kind. He had a beautiful smile. He liked fashion, his friends, talking on the phone. He was artistic and very bright."

Judy Walsh hopes her son's death is a wake up call to the community to "develop more tolerance for different people."

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7 Comments +

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by mchristine91 November 14, 2010 8:52 PM EST: This story breaks my heart. Where were the teachers and administrators at the school? Why weren?t they there to stop the bullying, not just of Seth Walsh, but of all students? I?m sure he was not the only kid to get picked on at school. There are so many instances of bullying that go unnoticed and someone needs to step up to change that. These bullies need a wake up call. They need to realize that their actions can affect people way more than they may think. I hope someday that every school with have some sort of program that deals with bullying in a way that shows how hurtful it is and how negatively things can result from it. Schools should take time from other classes and have anti-bullying seminars to teach kids to accept other people for who they are and show that bullying is wrong.

This young kid didn?t do anything wrong. He is punished just for living his life. I understand that middle school is a rough time for everyone, but how do kids think it?s okay to make themselves feel better by bullying someone else? Just because someone is different doesn?t mean they aren?t a human being with a soul and feelings. I hope people everywhere can look at this boy?s death, as well as the suicides from Tyler Clementi, Raymond Chase, Billy Lucas, and Asher Brown all of whom were bullied, and learn and change from this. I hope someday people will learn to accept everyone and stop bullying in its tracks.; Reply to this comment


by s0urpatch October 2, 2010 10:26 PM EDT: RIP Seth William Walsh. I miss you so much. you were such a good friend always made me laugh and smile. I still cant believe it. sometimes I feel like im going to find you walking home, hope your in a better place, your soul is finally free. no pain, no suffering, just you.; Reply to this comment


by me4life322 September 30, 2010 8:41 PM EDT: miss you forever seth cant believe your gone but im looking back at the memories and you gave me a great life and ill miss you. . . love you kid you didnt deserve this. . . RIP Seth Walsh. . .<3. . . may your memories live on. . .; Reply to this comment

by FoolKiller September 30, 2010 12:02 PM EDT

"Friends told NBC affiliate KGET that Seth had been picked on for years because he was gay." Not sure I understand... was this a 13 year old that had claimed he was gay for years (?!?) or one that had been accused of being gay for years?

Reply to this comment


by x0xBrookersx0x September 30, 2010 5:20 PM EDT: Probably both. I have a friend who when we were in grade school(like 6th grade), thru middle and high school was always getting **** from people for being gay. He is extremely open about it now and is one of the best people i know. It makes absolutely NO sense to bully people based on sexual orientation. None at all. People are such a$$h0les it makes me want to barf. >:\

RIP Seth, i bet you were a great kid.


by me4life322 September 30, 2010 8:39 PM EDT: hi FoolKiller i was just answering your question and he was picked on because he was gay. . . but he was an amazing person and didnt deserve this