Family blames bullying for Staten Island teen girl's suicide

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Amanda Cummings

/ CBS New York

(CBS) NEW YORK - The family of a high school sophomore who died Monday after allegedly jumping in front of a bus says she had been the victim of bullying at school, reports CBS New York.

Pictures: The deadly cost of bullying

Amanda Cummings, 15, had a suicide note in her pocket when she was hit by the bus Dec. 27. She had been on life support until her death on Monday Jan. 2.

Keith Cummings, Amanda's uncle, said that Amanda's phone, shoes and jacket had been stolen by bullies. According to the New York Times, Cummings believes his niece was being harassed by another girl over an older boy they both liked.

"She had to be picked up from school because she was worried about being beat up," he told 1010 WINS radio.

Amanda's friends also said she endured insults and threats on Facebook.

"People [were] really nasty to her for no reason," said junior Marisa Ryan.

The family said that as she lay dying in a hospital, text messages and Facebook postings, now erased, lashed out at her.

"The other comment, 'once a ho, always a ho,'" Keith Cummings said. "This is ridiculous. We lost an innocent life over kiddie bullying."

The police are looking into whether bullying was indeed a factor in Amanda's death.

Complete coverage of bullying on Crimesider
48 Hours Special - Bullying: Words Can Kill

4 Comments +

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by Necroscope84 February 24, 2013 12:38 AM EST: Honestly I think if I were God I'd just go ahead and end this doomed experiment and give the dinosaurs another shot. There's absolutely no reason for the amount of hatred, evil, violence that goes on in our world. When goods such as TV's, shoes, phones etc are worth more than the lives of our fellow man/woman and narcissism is encouraged by your peers then somethings horribly wrong. Humans need to look at what's truly important, remember that we're not special and we will all be dust soon. Millions of people have inhabited this planet before us and millions more will inhabit it after wer'e gone. We're just a small blip really. And when I say we are not special I mean we are not special enough to place our own wants, needs and greeds above anyone elses. We are all equally special and need to treat each other so. Such a beautiful life should not have been ended so soon because of the hatred and self-absorption of others.; Reply to this comment


by LibbyB1963 January 5, 2012 10:25 AM EST: There is a huge difference in the teasing years ago and bullying today. Parents in my day, parented their kids. If you got in trouble in school, you didn't want to go home. Now parents don't want to deal with it. Its someone elses fault. If you stole or destroyed someones property, you didn't want to go home. When you did go home, you paid for the damages. If you were mad at someone, you beat the crap out of each other and went home. The next day you were friends. Kids are down right evil. Some...not all have no parental guidance what so ever. Some parents are even afraid of their kids. Not sure what the answer is but something needs to be done to get these evil kids under control.; Reply to this comment


by sctonic January 5, 2012 9:53 AM EST: I read a lot of comments on news stories about bullying that say what the poster above said "I was bullied and I didn't kill myself" but I find that unreasonable. Sure, children can be (and often are) cruel little beings, but I don't think it's right or rational to expect a child to just naturally be able to handle verbal abuse and/or the threat of physical violence on a daily basis. The latter has a lasting effect on adults in war zones so why would we expect it to be easier on people who've not been alive long enough to develop defenses and coping skills.

These stories sadden me to the nth degree. And I do believe the bullies in question need to have some serious accountability - not just punishment, but examination. Texting disparaging remarks to anyone on their deathbed shows some major sociopathic tendencies and if no one intervenes, we're going to have some horrible adults on our hands.

I'm with Libby - if I found out my kid had behaved in such a way, God help him.; Reply to this comment


by LibbyB1963 January 4, 2012 4:09 PM EST: What a beautiful girl! How sad! Not sure how to get through to these kids not to listen to these low life insecure worthless pieces of crap.

Where are the parents of these monsters? Probably were bullies themselves in school. If I found my daughter was involved in such behavior, she wouldn't see the light of day for a very long time. It is one thing to tease, it is another to be cruel and or violent...daily...and to take their property.

As for the little creep that sent the "ho" text while she lay on her death bed, I would love to him / her alone in a barn in the country for a couple hours...while their parents watch. See how cool they really are.

I'm sorry Amanda. Hope you are now at peace.; Reply to this comment

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