10-Year-Old Girl Commits Suicide After Intense Bullying

Just yesterday I wrote about a 10-year-old girl in Mexico who became a mother far too young.

Now today, I sadly have another tragedy to report about another girl far too young to endure so much.

Meet Ashlynn Conner, a 10-year-old girl from east central Illinois who took her own life after intense bullying at school. After enduring years of teasing and being called a slut, fat, and ugly, among other insults, Conner asked her mother to be home-schooled. Her mother denied her request and the very next day Conner’s sister found her hanging in her closet by a scarf.

“I don’t know what its gonna take to stop it, but no child should ever feel like they have to kill themselves to stop that kind of pain,” said Conner’s mother who is devastated by the loss.

Conner was a student with promise. She was on the school’s Honor Roll and had aspirations to become a veterinarian.

Not An Isolated Incident

Unfortunately, Conner is not alone. Suicide linked to bullying is a tragic problem and one that we cover extensively at Care2. Take for example the following stories:

Alarming Statistics Related to Suicide & Bullying

Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims
10 to 14 year old girls may be at even higher risk for suicide
Nearly 30% of students are either bullies or victims of bullying
160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying

Suicide, at any age, is a tragedy. Strict anti-bullying laws in schools across the country are needed to ensure that bullying is taken seriously so that suicide is not the last resort for anyone.

Read more: bullying, education, suicide

Photo by studiostoer used under a Creative Commons license.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Julie H.

7:43PM PDT on May 22, 2012

I just got a text 15 mins ago from my best friend saying she tried to commit suicide and dropped out of school because of bullies. I had no idea this was going on she didnt tell anyone. This needs to be taken care of

send a green star

Kasia Y.

6:12AM PST on Mar 6, 2012

Bullying should be a chargeable offense. Offenders should be dealt with severely. Conservative parents should receive therapy and education to prevent their children from bullying further.

Nicole O.

4:38AM PST on Mar 2, 2012

very sad

Dorothy D.

6:14PM PST on Mar 1, 2012

This is so tragic,my heart goes out to her family.
I hate reading articles like this,and they only seem to be more and more common,what will it take to stop it???

Madelaine C.

12:24PM PST on Mar 1, 2012

Bullying is the hardest thing I have ever gone through. Nothing wears you down more than the constant fear of humiliation and upset- and every day you find yourself living for the weekend. All I can say is I am disgusted at the people who act in a manner purely to hurt others to entertain themselves.

Donna H.

10:00AM PST on Mar 1, 2012

Absolutely tragic.

Quanta K.

2:39AM PST on Mar 1, 2012

Thanks.

Hope S.

5:41PM PST on Feb 28, 2012

Sickening. If you see or hear someone bullying another, speak up.
And that goes for both adults and children. That may take courage but doing nothing does not excuse you from blame. Action must be taken in order to shame the bully and teach him/her that it is unacceptable behavior.

Stephanie M.

7:57AM PST on Feb 28, 2012

My heart breaks for this little girl. I remember when I was in elementary school, I was picked on so intensely but I would keep it a secret from my parents.
To the person who said that we rely on others for our protection. The girl was 10. She wasn't some adult who knew left from right in every situation, she is expected to depend on her family.
To whom says it's the parents fault. It isn't. Children are capable of hiding a great many things from their parents. My mother bent over backwards for me, gave up everything for her children, and all of us turned out differently. It is not solely the parents fault for what has happened. What it is, is a wake up call, and hopefully others learn from it as well that life is precious, and one must take time out to be with those you love and make sure they know it.

Valerie B.

7:05AM PST on Feb 28, 2012

I just want to say in defense to this girls mother, I think it is really sick that some of you are insinuating its her own fault her child is dead, and that she deserved it?! What's wrong with you people. Her mother probably said no to homeschooling because she has a JOB! You know, a place she has to be every day in order to feed and clothe her child? How do you know she wasn't planning on contacting the school that next day about this problem? And how do you know she had any idea how bad it was? Maybe the girl only said, hey mom I hate this school I'm getting bullied. I'm sure she didn't tell her mother if you won't home school me I'm gonna kill myself. So to the people like annmarie and the no name comments I'm so glad you can take this as an opportunity to pat yourselves on the backs for being such perfect parents, and point the finger at this grieving mother. And btw, to say its all the parents responsibility and not the schools; one question. Do YOU spend every moment at school with your child? And do YOU have the authority to punish the other children at the school with detention, etc.?? Didn't think so, so shut the hell up and just go pat yourselves on the back some more.