Bullying being investigated in Iowa teenager's suicide, police say

Cedar Falls police are investigating whether bullying played a factor in the death of a 17-year-old boy who killed himself this week.

Cedar Falls Police Chief Jeff Olson said the police department is interviewing several students as part of its investigation into whether this is a criminal case.

"The level or the part that (bullying) may have played in the suicide has yet to be determined," Olson said.

On social media, people gave their condolences over the death of the teen, and many alleged that he was bullied before his death. He was a student at Cedar Falls High School.

Olson confirmed that it appears the boy was bullied on social media, but the extent of that remains under investigation.

"We discovered some social media contacts that were made with him in bullying-type nature," Olson said. He added that the boy may have been bullied in person as well. "There may have been some direct contact."

On an Instagram account that uses the same name as the boy, a screenshot from a smartphone shows a group chat in which two people disparaged the boy and encouraged him to kill himself.

A Twitter account that appeared to be the boy's also had suicidal messages on it, with the last tweet saying, "by the time this is seen im dead," and including a phone number for a suicide hotline.

Olson encouraged anyone who sees suicidal messages on social media to contact police or call a suicide hotline.

"If you see things like this, you need to report it," he said. "We really need to be proactive in that area."

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.

Tuesday morning, Cedar Falls High School officials sent an email to parents, informing them of the student's death. Counselors have been made available to help students cope, the email said.

This is the first time the Cedar Falls Police Department has investigated a suicide that appears to be prompted by bullying to the degree where it may become a criminal matter, Olson said.

There is a wide range of potential criminal charges, depending on how the investigation pans out, he said.

"It could be nothing," he said. Another possibility could be a harassment charge, which is a misdemeanor.

Among the potential criminal charges, Olson also referenced the well-known case of Michelle Carter, a woman convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Massachusetts earlier this year for sending text messages encouraging her boyfriend to kill himself, which he later did.

Olson reiterated that investigation is ongoing, and the extent of bullying's role in the suicide has not yet been determined.

This is the second high-profile teen suicide case in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area in recent weeks.

On Sept. 6, a high school student in Waterloo, which neighbors Cedar Falls, attempted to commit suicide by jumping off the roof of the school. The student survived, according to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier.

Anyone who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts or who knows someone struggling with that is encouraged to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255.

The email sent by Cedar Falls High School to parents offered the following tips on how parents can help their children cope with this loss of their classmate:

Be available and willing to discuss the events and honestly share your feelings about them.

Allow your child(ren) to express fears and feelings. Let him/her question things without being judgmental.

Maintain your daily routines as it offers students a sense of security.

Be present and watchful of your child(ren) in the days and weeks ahead. Watch for any changes in behavior. If you do notice changes, talk them over with a school counselor or your family doctor.

Give assurance of love, support and safety.

Be patient. Your child(ren) may express a variety of emotions within a short period of time.

"We all react in individual ways to this type of event. The most important things we should do is be supportive and encourage discussion about the events, our feelings and what we can do in response to it," the school's email said.

