Family members and friends are distraught over the death of a Washington teen who reportedly killed himself because he was bullied by his classmates for being gay.
As The Wentachee World is reporting, 14-year-old Rafael Morelos hanged himself Jan. 29 after friends say he was subjected to bullying at Cashmere Middle School, where he had enrolled last fall.
"He told me he got shoved and punched in the face in P.E. in the locker room at Cashmere," one friend said. Added another: "He was tired of people saying that his little brothers would follow in his footsteps and be gay, too."
In addition, friends say one bully even created a fake Facebook page so that he or she could taunt Rafael, who was openly gay, online.
Morelos' mother, Malinda, told local Fox affilate Q13 she wasn't aware of what her son was going through. "He did not tell me he was being bullied. He had a dark side inside him that he never told me his feelings anymore," she said. "I thought it was just him being a teenager, and I just didn’t know why."
Need help? Visit The Trevor Project's website or call them at 1-866-488-7386. In the U.S. you can also call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or visit stopbullying.gov.
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