10-Year-Old Sammy Teusch’s Death Sparks Outcry Over School Bullying

What started as a normal Saturday in Indiana ended in tragedy. Ten-year-old Sammy Teusch had just watched his brother’s soccer game when he quietly pointed out a boy: “That’s him.” It was one of several classmates who had bullied Sammy for years—mocking his glasses, teeth, and eventually hurting him physically.

His parents say they reached out to Greenfield Intermediate School repeatedly for help. Sammy even begged his teachers, but his father says he was ignored. After being hurt on the school bus and then punished, Sammy told his dad, “It’s okay, Daddy. They’re not listening to me.”

A Final Morning

The next morning, Sammy asked for pancakes. While his father and brother went out to buy ingredients, Sammy stayed home. When they returned, 13-year-old Xander found his little brother—Sammy had taken his own life.

“There were no signs,” his father said. “He wasn’t depressed… He was scared to death in a moment and thought this was his only way out.”

A Call for Accountability

Sammy had been told by classmates to kill himself. Yet, the bullies remain in school, and no actions have been made public. The Teusch family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the school district and its leaders, but those named still hold their jobs.

“It’s devastating,” said Sammy’s father. “The bullies went back to class the next day like nothing had happened.”

A Legacy of Change

The family now holds onto memories—and Sammy’s new glasses, which arrived too late. “Whenever I miss him,” his dad said, “I can pick those glasses up and still see the world through Sammy’s eyes.”

They aren’t seeking revenge—they’re seeking change. “If this can happen to Sammy, it can happen to any child,” his father said. “Share his story.”