Virginia 10-year-old takes her own life after
A Vibrant Life Lost
Just a month ago, 10-year-old Autumn Bushman was “fearless, loving, and full of energy.”
On March 21, her parents’ world shattered when Autumn died by suicide at home in Roanoke,
Virginia, after enduring relentless bullying.
The Bullying Begins
Autumn, a fourth-grader at Mountain View Elementary, “stood up for [others]…
and unfortunately that may have made her a target for more bullying,” her mother, Summer Bushman, said.
Her parents noticed her joy fading in the final weeks—she wore darker clothes, slept more, and played less.
Parents Speak Out
“I can’t be at school. And I can’t referee,” her father, Mark Bushman, said, urging communities to address bullying.
The local school district promised a review but Autumn’s family says it was too little, too late.
A Legacy of Change
Autumn’s parents hope her story inspires awareness and compassion.
Mark wrote: “Putting an end to bullying…is done by a community banding together.
Let’s give these kids a life worth living.”
