9-Year-Old Boy Kills Self After Being Bullied For Coming Out As Gay, Mom Says

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DENVER (CBS) -- A young Colorado boy took his own life on the first week of school and his mom blames his death on bullies after he came out as gay.

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Nine-year-old Jamel Myles started fourth-grade last week. A few days before school, his mom, Leia Pierce, said her son came out as gay and said he wanted to tell his classmates.

Four days after school started, he was found dead in their Denver home.

"Four days is all it took at school. I could just imagine what they said to him," said Pierce. "My son told my oldest daughter that kids at school told him to kill himself. I'm just sad he didn't come to me."

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Pierce says she's sharing her story to raise awareness about how bullying damages a child's self-esteem.

School officials say they will continue to offer support to the family and provide counseling to fellow students.