Mother Says Bullying Led 9-Year-Old To Commit Suicide.
CAMEROTA: We have a heartbreaking and shocking story for you out of Colorado where a 9-year-old boy committed suicide. Jamel Myles' mother says her son wanted to come out as gay to his classmates, but just four days into the new school year she says Jamel took his life after being bullied. That mother, Leia Pierce, joins us now. Leia, we are so sorry for your loss. This story has just gripped the country. I can't tell you how many people have e-mailed me or wanted to talk about it in some way because it just seems that Jamel is just way too young to deal with such emotionally-challenging and painful issues. We're so sorry. Can you just tell us what happened? I mean, as far as we know the story, over the summer he came out to you as gay. He was worried about what your reaction would be but you immediately told him that you loved him and accepted him. And then I guess that perhaps gave him the courage that he wanted to come out to his classmates. And then what happened?</s>LEIA PIERCE, 9-YEAR-OLD SON COMMITTED SUICIDE: It didn't end well obviously because I'm here, but I wish it could have been different.</s>CAMEROTA: We do, too. Did you talk to him? When he said that he wanted to tell his classmates, did you and he have any conversation about that? Were you comfortable with his plan to do that?</s>PIERCE: He just said he wanted to wear his nails and be himself. And I said never be anyone else but yourself because nobody else could be you better than you.</s>CAMEROTA: And when you say he wanted to wear his nails, he wanted to wear painted nails on the first day?</s>PIERCE: No, they were -- they were -- they were -- they were fake fingernails.</s>CAMEROTA: And so he went to school with fake fingernails and he wanted to tell his classmates. And then, do you know what their reaction was?</s>PIERCE: He didn't tell me. He just came home and acted normal.</s>CAMEROTA: So he acted --</s>PIERCE: Something broke his heart.</s>CAMEROTA: So he acted normal. Did you know -- did you have any indication that he was suffering?</s>PIERCE: No. If I did, I would have hugged him tighter. I would have told him it was OK so he didn't have to feel like that if I did.</s>CAMEROTA: Yes. How do you know that he was bullied at school?</s>PIERCE: He told me, his sister told me. They never called me about my son but I got a bunch of phone calls about my daughter saying about the --</s>CAMEROTA: Meaning -- hold on a second. I just want to -- I just want to make sure that we understand. He told you last year that he was being bullied --</s>PIERCE: He told --</s>CAMEROTA: -- but not this year.</s>PIERCE: Yes. These first four days he didn't say nothing to me. He just acted normal.</s>CAMEROTA: But did he confide in his sisters that he was being bullied?</s>PIERCE: He went up and told his sister that the other kids told him to kill himself.</s>CAMEROTA: He told his --</s>PIERCE: And they told him --</s>CAMEROTA: -- sister that the other -- his classmates -- the other kids told him to kill himself?</s>PIERCE: Yes, and they -- he heard it a couple of times before but he would always get upset because he's -- he was just so sweet and sensitive so he hurts easy. And we -- they told him -- they were like just calm down. They were like, breathe. They were like take a nap, chill out, and they were like when you wake up you'll feel better and what they said won't matter. Whatever they said really hurt his heart because it matters a lot to him.</s>CAMEROTA: And then, did he take his sister's advice? Is that when he killed himself?</s>PIERCE: If he took her advice I'd still have him.</s>CAMEROTA: Yes. Have you been in touch with the school? Have you had conversations with the school about how all of this unfolded?</s>PIERCE: They finally called me Tuesday night around 5:00 and he just said they're looking into it and that they sent out a letter about suicide and bullying, and that was pretty much it.</s>CAMEROTA: Here's their statement. I'll read it to you and to our viewers. "At the Denver Public Schools, we are deeply committed to ensuring that all members of our school community are treated with dignity and respect regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or transgender status. It is critical that our students receive all the support they need to learn and thrive in a safe and welcoming environment. Our policies and practices reflect this commitment to ensuring that our LGBTQ+ students can pursue their education with dignity and joy -- from training to prevent and stop bullying to policies and guidance materials that fully respect gender identity (including use of preferred pronouns and restrooms)." Leia, who do you hold responsible for what happened here?</s>PIERCE: Technically, taking in the whole situation and knowing everything I know, I do hold the teachers responsible because last year, one teacher dumped water on my son.</s>CAMEROTA: Why? Why?</s>PIERCE: I don't know. He got in my car crying. He was like the substitute teacher just walked up and dumped water on me. I was like, what? And my little daughter looks at me and goes he came out of his classroom wet, mom. I called the school and I told them what happened and they just said they'll get back to me, just like they did over this incident. They'll just get back to me. They finally got back to me like four days later this time.</s>CAMEROTA: It sounds like Jamel has been struggling for a long time.</s>PIERCE: He didn't really have these problems until about a year ago. He's never had this problem until about a year ago. And he just wanted to stand up for his sister.</s>CAMEROTA: Because she was also bullied, you're saying.</s>PIERCE: They were really, really mean to her --</s>CAMEROTA: Why? What did --</s>PIERCE: -- and he got sick of seeing --</s>CAMEROTA: Why is she being bullied?</s>PIERCE: Because she's -- because black girls aren't supposed to have long, pretty hair.</s>CAMEROTA: And so, Leia --</s>PIERCE: So she chopped off all of her hair and now she has short hair and they pick on her and call her boys and they're mean to her. And it broke my son's heart and so he started standing up for his sister. He started standing up for his sister because he got -- he got tired of seeing her hurt so he wanted to take her pain and his -- I'm sorry.