Police in Westchester County are investigating the apparent suicide of a bullied 10-year-old boy — while his family claims local school officials are to blame for ignoring warning signs.
Gianlukas “Lukas” Illescas, a student at the Hillcrest Elementary School in Peekskill, was so terrified of a relentless bully that he had begged his family to let him stay home for months before he took his own life last week, his relatives said.
“Look! Look!” Lukas’ distraught dad yelled at school board members while holding up a photo of his son on his phone during a raucous Tuesday night meeting packed with protesters, ABC-TV News reported .
“You didn’t have time? Five minutes,” he said. “I don’t know how you can sleep. I don’t know how.”
The heartbroken father, Christian Illescas, said he’d asked for help from administrators and school social workers multiple times, according to News12 Westchester .
“They say they can’t help me because they’re too busy,” Illescas said.
Peekskill police said they are investigating.
“The Police Department, along with the entire City of Peekskill Community, is mourning the loss of the student who attended Hillcrest Elementary School,” Police Chief Leo Dylweski wrote on Facebook .
“This tragic event is still actively being investigated, and no definitive conclusions have been made,” the post said. “Please continue to support the Illescas family during this difficult time.”
Dozens of residents who packed the school board meeting, holding signs demanding justice for the boy, said educators have to answer for ignoring the parents and the warning signs.
“All these parents are here. There are witnesses,” one parent berated the board. “And we are not taking that anymore. A 10-year-old child had to suffer because of negligence? Because you didn’t take time?”
The boy’s family said he was an energetic youngster who used to enjoy school.
“This tragic event is still actively being investigated, and no definitive conclusions have been made,” a post by police said. “He was waking up at 5:30 in the morning every day to give me a kiss before I go to work,” his father told ABC News. “When I was coming, he was waiting for me at the station. He loved to swim.”
That changed when one student began to bully him mercilessly — until he took his own life.
