Son's Suicide Prompts Mom To Call For Change

A mother whose 11-year-old son took his own life back in April is speaking out. She says her son, Carl Joseph Walker Hoover, was constantly bullied at school in the weeks leading up to his death.
"I called his name and he didn't respond. So I went upstairs to get Carl -- and um. I found him, you know. I found him. My baby," said Sirdeander Walker.
What happened to 44-year old Sirdeaner Walker is any parent’s worst nightmare. In April, she found her 11-year old son, Carl, dead in his bedroom. He had committed suicide by hanging himself with an extension cord.
"It was just unbelievable to me. I thought I was in a dream. I thought I was in a nightmare. I couldn't lift him - so all I could do was scream," said Sirdeaner Walker.
In the days since, Sirdeaner and her close family - have been asking the question why? They say Carl was a great kid who loved sports and was involved in many community organizations and attended church every Sunday. The answer, they believe, can be traced to the cruelty of some of his classmates at the New Leadership charter school in Springfield.
Sirdeander Walker: He was being teased at the school - he was being made fun of - he was being bullied. A lot of it surrounded by "you act gay," "are you gay."
Walker, captain of the 6th grade parent teacher organization says the bullying has been going on all year -- she knew Carl had been upset by it and had alerted the school. But walker says it
had escalated in recent weeks.
Sirdeaner: He said a gang threatened to kill him.
And more recently when he got into a tussle with another girl in the hallway.
Sirdeander: The girl at the school then started threatening him and "I'm going to beat you up and I'm going to kill you.
Walkers says a school mediator got involved and told the Carl and the other girl that they needed to eat lunch together for the rest of the week to work it out.
Walker says Carl had the impression that had also been suspended from school for five days. A charge the school denies.
No one from the New Leadership Charter School would comment on the suicide. But Sirdeaner Walker says the school is sponsoring a carnation drive and a walk in her son's honor.
The school website says it is offering grief counseling to students and staff and it says the school is collecting donations for the family.
Sirdeaner's sister: It was the way we were raised, not to fight. We didn't teach our children, somebody hits you, you hit them back.