Family blames bullying for Staten Island teen girl's suicide

(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.

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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.

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