Family Of Suicide Victim Sues Joshua ISD

JOSHUA (CBSDFW.COM) - It's been a year since Jon Carmichael, an Eighth grader in the Joshua Independent School District, took his own life. Those closest to him say, he was tired of being bullied.

His mother, Tami Carmichael, says, "It's been a very, very hard year.

When Jon died, his mother says, a part of her died too. She says she couldn't do anything for eight to nine months.

"I was just dead inside. Just couldn't make myself do anything," she said.

Jon Carmichael was 13 and small for his age. Bullies at school always picked on him, his parents say, even stripping him down and tossing him into a trash can.

"They knew. They saw and they just turned their back on it," she said.

The Carmichaels filed a federal, civil lawsuit against 6 people they hold responsible at Joshua ISD.

The suit was filed Monday on the anniversary of Jon's death. It says Jon was bullied, harassed and called names every day...which was observed by staff, who did nothing."

Tami, herself, regrets she didn't do more back then.

"My gut instinct tells me 2 years ago that I needed to fight it, go up there and do what I was supposed to do which was a mother's thing to do. Protect your children," she said.

It make take two years before her case goes to court. Meantime, she says she'll continue the fight to protect other children.

"I never will be the same. No. I don't want anyone else to have to go through this," she said.

Tami Carmichael says she wants a monument placed at the school in honor of her son. She also wants a monitor inside the school to make sure children aren't being bullied.

Calls to Joshua ISD Superintendent Ray Dane and the attorney for the school district seeking comment on the lawsuit were not returned.