Texas man posts message to cyber bullies after teen brother's suicide
A San Antonio man hopes his 16-year-old brother's death by suicide will open people's eyes to a new age of bullying young kids are facing.
In an emotional post, Cliff Molak described the "tangible pain" his younger brother, David, went through before his untimely death.
"In today's age, bullies don't push you into lockers, they don't tell their victims to meet them behind the school's dumpster after class, they cower behind user names and fake profiles from miles away constantly berating and abusing good, innocent people," wrote Molak in a Jan. 6 Facebook post that has been shared nearly 14,000 times.
Molak explained how the tragedy was "set into motion" by a boy and a group of fellow students.
"Things got so bad, people were starting to say, 'We're going to put him six feet under. You're going to put him in a body bag,'" Molak told San Antonio affiliate KENS.
In one incident, a group of eight students apparently added David to a group text to make fun of him, kicking him out two minutes later, Molak described on Facebook.
The San Antonio Police Department "is looking into the case," Senior Public Information Officer Sandra Pickell confirmed to CBS News on Friday.
David's family reported him missing on Monday.
After tracking the boy's cell phone, a police officer found the teen with "no pulse" in the backyard of his family's home, according to a police report obtained by CBS News.
The police report describes the alleged bullying, which reportedly consisted of personal attacks against the Alamo Heights High School sophomore on Instagram.
Alamo Heights Independent School District Superintendent Kevin Brown said that the school is working with police to investigate the claims.
"We have a role to play, especially when things happen at school -- many things happen outside of school," Brown said. "Once we find out what we're dealing with then we'll act on whatever facts are there."
Although the school doesn't yet know all the circumstances surrounding David's death, Brown emphasized that bullying, cyberbullying in particular, is a national issue that has bled into the community. The school district has created several programs to try to prevent such acts.
"We teach, preach character -- try to model that -- but this is a situation where clearly a child lost hope and that's the saddest thing that can happen," Brown said.
Classmates and staff will remember David as a very kind, caring boy who was sensitive to his peers and their feelings, said Brown, adding that there was a huge outpouring of support at David's funeral Friday.
Alamo Heights High School Principal Dr. Cordell T. Jones, who has been David's principal since second grade, added that school officials are working with students and the community to begin the healing process.
"I've had a full range of emotions from smiling and laughing as I think about David loving Mrs. Caudill's 2nd grade class at Woodridge to shedding some tears as I think about him not growing up to be the wonderful man I envision him being," Jones wrote in an announcement made to the student body.
Molak wants others to share his brother's story to help prevent future heartbreak.
"The healing needs to start now before we fall even further down into the pits of evil," he posted. "It is my dream for the healing of this nation to be David's legacy."