Mom says teen son hanged himself after bullies made rape threats — (The New York Post)

SSRI Ed note: Teen target of bullies given antidepressants, he feels worse, dose upped, he feels worse, suicidal, he hangs himself, parents blame bullying.

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The New York Post

By Paul Harper, The Sun

November 14, 2016 | 8:52am

Tragic Brandon Singh Rayat, 15, was found hanged in his bedroom with a scarf after 16 months of relentless physical and psychological abuse.

The British teenager became suicidal after his own friends turned on him and started calling him a “paedo” and a “f—-t.”

Shockingly, they even set up a fake Jimmy Savile Facebook page and bombarded him with sick taunts, including threats to “bum” him and rape his mom.

After several failed suicide attempts, which included Brandon drinking bleach as well as slashing his wrists, his parents begged medics to send him to a secure mental unit.

But they refused, despite Brandon repeatedly telling his parents he wanted to kill himself.

His mom, Mina, 44, also gave the names of her son’s bullies to the school but claims teachers refused to investigate, saying Brandon was being “paranoid.”

His depressed parents took him to a psychiatrist, who said he was suffering from social anxiety.

He stopped attending Judgemeadow Community College in Evington, Leicester, last November and his parents desperately sought further professional help for their son.

In March this year, his parents asked doctors to put him in a secure mental unit after he drank bleach, overdosed on paracetamol (acetaminophen) and cut himself.

Medics refused to help the family have Brandon committed, saying he would feel “unloved” if he was taken away from his family.

In July, Brandon tried to hang himself with a belt but a psychiatrist again refused to detain him.

Just weeks later, on Aug. 9, Brandon was found dead in his bedroom at the family’s home in Humberstone, Leicester, with a scarf wrapped around his neck.

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Brandon Singh Rayat and his mother, Mina Rayat Photo: Facebook

Mina, a hair and beauty therapist who lives with her husband, Raj, 41, a shop worker, said: “We feel totally let down, by both the school and by the doctors.”

“Those boys who were his friends once have killed him.”

“They have taken his life away and they have ruined our lives.”

“There is a hole left in our hearts and there was no need for it.”

“He had been at that school since he was 12 and never had a problem, then in April last year one day he came home and just broke down.”

“He’d been bottling it up — he said his mates had started calling him names like ‘f—-t’, ‘paedo’ and ‘weirdo.’

“One of his really good friends turned to him in class and said: ‘I know where you live, I’m going to come round and rape your mom.’

“It got worse and worse over the next few months.”

Mina said she called several meetings with the school but claims staff dismissed her concerns.

She added: “I’ve now found out he was punched in the face by one of the bullies in front of the teachers and ran away from school.

“They cyber-bullied him, setting up fake Jimmy Savile accounts and messaged him saying: ‘I’m going to bum you.’”

Brandon returned to school, but he got into a fight and the downward spiral started again.

“His anxiety got worse so that it became a complete phobia,” his mom said.

“He wouldn’t leave the house in case he bumped into anyone from school.

“It was excruciating seeing him go through that.

“He was lonely and isolated and extremely frustrated.

“He was on anti-depressants, but the dose got higher, and each time it did, he seemed to get worse in himself.  

“He told the psychiatrist he had flashbacks of hanging himself.

“Two months before Brandon killed himself, he started to give away all of his possessions and money.

“He was planning to kill himself.

“My heart breaks when I think of everything that happened.”

Mina said she believes the education and health authorities should have done more to help her son.

“I want other people to know that bullying needs to be taken seriously, as does young people’s mental health,” she added.

A full inquest into Brandon’s death is not due to take place until January next year.

James McKenna, principal of Judgemeadow Community College, said the school “does not tolerate bullying in any form” and would comment after the coroner’s inquest.

“The whole school was extremely saddened by Brandon’s death, and our thoughts remain with his family,” he said.

A spokesman for Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, which runs mental health services, also said it would wait until the inquest concluded before releasing a full statement.

“We were deeply saddened by the tragic death of Brandon Rayat, and extend our sincere sympathies to the family once again,” the spokesman added.

“We met with the family immediately after Brandon’s death, and their comments are reflected in the robust serious incident investigation which we have carried out.

“We remain committed to offering appropriate support to the family at this difficult time.”