A boy who was already dealing with homelessness was also being bullied to the point where he took his own life.
Jose Emiliano Zamora, 14, died by suicide just months after he began attending Santa Clara High School in California.
Reportedly, police are now investigating the teen’s death due to allegations of bullying. Jose died on Tuesday, November 6th.
He was a member of the school’s junior varsity football team and was reportedly bullied constantly for being homeless.
His father told local media outlets that other kids were spitting on Jose and hitting him on the back of his helmet.
His father said he learned about the alleged bullying from other students after his son was found dead.
Students reported that Jose was bullied both for being homeless and for not having a mother.
Earlier this year, Jose and his father were evicted from their apartment, and Jose had been staying at a shelter temporarily. He was also receiving treatment for mental health concerns at the shelter.
His father stated that he had started to bond more with his son and that Jose would soon have a permanent place to live. They had hoped to find a place to stay before the year ended.
Jose’s family has now started a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral expenses.
The superintendent of the Santa Clara Unified School District said in a video statement that the extent of bullying and its role in Jose’s suicide is unacceptable, noting that even one instance is too many.
He also reported that serious disciplinary actions have been taken following a district investigation and that the school district is fully cooperating with the police investigation.
Jose’s father hopes his son’s story can raise awareness about the seriousness of bullying.
May the young man rest in peace. Deepest sympathy to his father.