McKenzie Adams, a black 9-year-old girl from Alabama, committed suicide after she was relentlessly mocked and taunted by her classmates over her friendship with a white friend, according to the Tuscaloosa News.
The media outlet cited Adams' relatives as saying that she hanged herself December 3 in her home in Linden, about 161 kilometres (100 miles) west of Alabama's capital city of Montgomery, and that she was discovered by her grandmother.
READ MORE: Four US Sailors Accused of Filming Group Sex With Teen Girl
Her aunt Eddwina Harris referred to a group of Adams' classmates in Jones Elementary School who Harris claimed teased the girl and told her to kill herself.
"She was being bullied the entire school year, with words such as 'kill yourself,' 'you think you're white because you ride with that white boy,' 'you ugly,' 'black b****,' 'just die'", Harris explained.
The tragedy terrified almost all Twitter users who expressed condolences to the girl's loved ones and wondered where "the school administration and the school district board were".
McKenzie Adams, committed suicide at the age of 9 years old because of relentless bullying. So many questions how and why this is the ending. Where was the parents? Teachers? School Administration? School District Board? Was this incident reported & documented? Terrible ending. pic.twitter.com/G2JNcEUv0e
— Mr. Weeks ✊🏽 (@MrDane1982) 11 декабря 2018 г.
So sorry for the loss of this beautiful little girl.
— Terri Frost Hale (@MrsTerriHale) 11 декабря 2018 г.
So sad. Im not sure if i will get backlash when i write this or not. We need to make sure we foster a sense of self worth in our children make sure they understand they matter. There is no reason a 9 year old should feel that they only way to escape her pain is suicide.
— Rachel (@ernestine_12) 11 декабря 2018 г.
A beautiful young lady. I just don’t get it. I just don’t 😭 A beautiful life, gone from us. Parents, ask! Get involved w your children! Listen to your kids! Teachers, keep an eye please. I know you see a lot. Act on it. Bullies… 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
— What the Heck!? 🇵🇷🌊❄️🧡✡️ (@MissEssieG) 11 декабря 2018 г.
What a devastating loss for us all in this country, we surely need to do better for our kids. Heartbreaking.
— jenny sowell (@jksowell63) 11 декабря 2018 г.
Heart wrenching, children are taught hatred so shame on their parents hope they feel the guilt of this poor families loss of a Beautiful girl
— EARTHBOUND420@LIVE, PRU (@lynda424200) 11 декабря 2018 г.
We live in a society where in "MODERN" day America… McKenzie Adams, a 9-year black CHILD would rather take her own life than face relentless bullying and constant racism in Alabama.
— Fairy Glo Muva (@fairyglomuva) 11 декабря 2018 г.
RIP McKenzie Adams. I hope your spirit is free from every ounce of pain. To be only 9 years old and to let the voices of others control your worthiness breaks my soul. Fly high my beautiful black princess. Your spirit is still loved. #suicideprevention #youmatter #RIP
— 💗❄️Jenny💗❄️ (@AuthorJLSanders) 10 декабря 2018 г.
McKenzie Adams.That's her name. She was a month younger than my son Riley Joseph. She was bullied in school everyday because she was black, her family had money and drove to school with a boy. Who are you monsters that have raised your children to be such #soulesstrash?
— kelley🌙⭐ (@kellzzzbelllzzz) 10 декабря 2018 г.
Many expressed consternation about what they described as a "shameful" and "heart-breaking" incident, with one netizen pointing the finger at parents of Adams' classmates calling them "monsters".
READ MORE: India Bans Media Reports on Girl Abandoned by Spanish Couple Citing ‘Deceit’
The school's attorney Alex Braswell has, meanwhile, said in a statement that he is "working fully with the Demopolis and Linden police department” and that "they are doing a joint investigation of these allegations".
"We are cooperating fully and I can't comment on any of the aspects of the investigation until they conclude it", he added.
