13-year-old dies by suicide after bullying – family says cries for help were dismissed as “seeking attention”

“He was being bullied at school and on the bus… not one person outside his home tried to help him,”

she wrote.

Josiah’s life had already been shaped by loss. His biological mother passed away more than five years ago, and he had since been living with his grandmother — someone he was deeply close to. Family members say she was a constant presence, trying to support him through increasingly difficult moments.

There were hospital visits. Conversations about his mental state. Attempts to seek help.

But according to his family, those efforts were not always taken seriously.

“His Mimi sat by his side… trying to get him the help he was seeking, and his mental health was overlooked,”

Stebbins shared.