Jaheem Herrera, 11 Year Old Boy "Bullied to Death", Laid to Rest

Jaheem Herrera, the 11-year-old Atlanta boy who took his own life after months of relentless harassment and anti-gay bullying, was laid to rest in the Virgin Islands. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports from St. Croix:

More than 200 mourners crowded into the tiny funeral chapel, decorated with blue and white balloons, which sat upon a hill overlooking the Kingshill Cemetery here to bid farewell today to 11-year-old Jaheem Herrera.

Masika Bermudez, Jaheem’s mother, greeted well-wishers with a sad smile and a hug before breaking down in loud, gasping sobs as the body of her eldest child and only son was wheeled past her in a gleaming white coffin with gold trim.

An aunt, Ama Bermudez, recalled the time he spent living on the island with his grandparents and how their recent deaths affected him. His aunt urged mourners and the children in attendance to not let Jaheem’s death be in vain. "I call upon all the parents and children out there; don’t allow anyone to bully you in any which way or form," she said. "There must be a person you can trust to tell. You must put a stop to this immediately so that the reason we are here today won’t happen again. We are all hurting, but in spite of the circumstances, Jaheem is now resting. He’s not suffering anymore."

Jaheem's suicide comes two weeks after the suicide of  Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, an 11-year-old Massachusetts boy who also suffered taunts that he was gay, feminine and "talked funny.".

The DeKalb County District Attorney is considering filing criminal charges on behalf of Jaheem Herrera. The criminal investigation into the DeKalb County School District gains momentum as other parents say their sons were repeatedly bullied, harassed, "called gay" and beaten at the same school.

Another young boy bullied by children who are taught to glorify "thug" culture. How many more Jaheems and Carls have to be bullied to death until we learn this wrong?

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Prosecutors Weigh Criminal Charges in "Bully-Cide" [R20]
DeKalb Schools Investigate Jaheem Herrera's Suicide [R20]
Boston Globe: Carl "Bullied to Death" [R20]
Jaheem Called "Gay" Hours Before Dying [R20]
Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover's Mother on "Ellen" [R20]
Anti-Gay Bullying Drives Georgia Boy to Suicide [R20]
ABC News on Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover [R20]
CNN on Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover and Bullying [R20]
Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover's Mother Speaks Out  [R20]
Anti-Gay Bullying Drives Mass. Student to Suicide [R20]
Mother Calls for State Investigation [R20]
Funeral for Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover [R20]

Comments

[Aaron Parker]

>>>How many more Jaheems and Carls have to be bullied to death until we learn this wrong?

Many, many more. Our community will never learn its lesson on this horrible fetishization of thugs and hypermasculinity.

[King Drive]

such a tragic story,, this young boy did not have to feel like he had nowhere to turmn

[Chris]

"...Talked funny...." I received that insult so many times as a young boy. It brings back so many bad memories.

This photograph is horribly sad. The little mourner can hardly see over the casket. Tragic.

[S. Flemming]

That photo is beyond heartbreaking ...

[Mike]

I feel for the mom, her only son my heart goes out to her.

[alicia banks]

thank you rod.

this is healing for me...

i will be cremated
and i will have a list of enemies who can never enter my ceremony

i do not want people who abused me to feign grief when i am gone...

so i am so happy this baby was laid to rest far away from the little heathens that slew his spirit...

none of them could attend and feign sadness as they hogged free food so their gaybashing parents would not have to cook that day etc...

peace
ab

[Nathan James]

@ alicia banks: OMG, I though I was the only one with a list of people who are not permitted to enter my memorial service! You are 100% right on. There will doubtless be people who show up after I die, pretending to cry and act bereaved, all the while looking to see if there is anything in my estate for them.

My heart bleeds for little Carl and Jaheem, who were driven into their graves not by the other children who bullied them, but by the adults in their lives who saw it and did nothing to stop it. You can bet there are more Carls and Jaheems out there tonight, contemplating following these beautiful but tortured young souls into death...

[Honut SInti]

This just breaks my heart.

Restful Peace.