Local mom says daughter wrote suicide note after bullying at school

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - A local mom made a heartbreaking discovery her daughter had been planning to take her own life. Thankfully, the young girl never got that far. Now, the mom is demanding answers about how the school handles bullying.

Cheyenne Jones seems like a happy go lucky 5th grader, but this young girl was bullied relentlessly at school so much so she considered taking her life, according to her mom. A suicide note was found in a book by another student at Henry Houston Elementary School in West Mount Airy.

Her mom, Tonisha Greene, says she had no idea that her 11-year-old was so distraught. Tonisha told FOX 29 what some of the note said.

"She said she's gonna be happy because she gonna be playing in the sky and that she loved me so, so much that she'll always be with me," her mom said.

The girl's mom took her daughter to a crisis center after the school showed her the suicide note. That is when she found out her daughter had been taunted day in and day out for months. She even was locked in an art room closet, according to her mom.

Jones said she told the teachers about the bullying but nothing ever changed. Jones' mother also says she was never notified of any of the bullying taking place in school.

Her mom says she has ADHD and takes special ed classes. The 5th grader says she told the teachers, but the bullying continued.

"It makes me feel sad and upset--just want them to stop being mean and tell me why they are being mean, because I really don't know why," Cheyenne said.

Her mom says her daughter has now been diagnosed with anxiety and depression as a result of the bullying. She has also reached out to school officials and the district but has not received any answers. Jones' mother says she is looking to enroll her daughter in a different school.

Cheyenne has not returned to Henry Houston Elementary School since the incident.

Tonisha is hoping to enroll her daughter in another school even though there are only 11 days left. FOX 29 has been in contact with the school district all day and they say they take bullying very seriously and working to get answers for this family.

References and additional information can be found at www.ReportingOnSuicide.org.