Could bullying be behind Ramona boy's suicide?
8th grader Chris Jaquez took his own life Monday
Posted: 09/19/2012
Last Updated:
247 days ago
Ramona - There are questions about what may have prompted a Ramona middle school student to take his own life on Monday. Friends of Chris Jaquez told 10News he never showed signs of being bullied by classmates but online posts tell a different story.
Students at Olive Peirce Middle School burst into tears when they heard the news. Close friends told 10News that Jaquez, an 8th grader, was a happy-go-lucky kid although there were some tell-tale signs that there was trouble in his life.
Ahmed Willis is still trying to wrap his head around the sudden death of his best friend, Jaquez.
"A lot of kids from band came out crying," said Willis. "He was a really fun guy to hang out with, always positive, always smiling, had a lot of friends."
Jaquez loved the drums and encouraged Willis to play by giving him a set of drum sticks and sheet music.
But was music an escape? Online posts say the 13-year-old was bullied at school.
Lexi Kahler, who went out with Jaquez for six months last year, said she never heard him talk about being bullied.
Tracy Boyd's son was bullied at Olive Peirce Middle School. He said his complaints were ignored.
"There is so much bullying going on," said Boyd. "They have the no-bullying policies but it's not being enforced."
Kahler does remember Jaquez talking about ending his life.
"He said he would kill himself if I left him but I really didn't take him seriously," she said.
Taylor Legerretta said Jaquez never revealed details, just hints of darkness in his life.
"He said, 'I'm really upset right now and you guys have no idea how I could take my life like that,'" she said.
Jaquez's friends said they will honor him at school Wednesday by wearing orange and blue, his favorite colors.
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