Police close investigation into suicide of 10-year-old boy

GREENFIELD, Ind. – Greenfield police announced Friday that they have completed their investigation into the death of a 10-year-old who committed suicide after alleged bullying.

The Hancock County coroner ruled Sammy Teusch’s death a suicide by asphyxiation through strangulation, Greenfield police said in a statement.

The Hancock County District Attorney’s Office will not file charges, police said.

Greenfield Police Chief Brian Hartman said in a statement:

“There has been a lot of finger pointing and blame over the last few weeks. Whenever there is a tragic event, as a society we want to place the blame on someone or something to ease the pain we are experiencing and gain understanding. There is so much blame that we all probably carry a part of it. Our investigation found that bullying has occurred in this child’s life. Our investigation found that the child experienced bullying at school and school records show that these incidents were addressed. It was also found that bullying occurred outside of school and sometimes in a place where the child should have felt the safest. Bullying is a problem in our society whether you are a child or an adult. No one is allowed to be different or have a different opinion anymore without someone somewhere being disrespectful and saying hurtful things.”