Benton teen’s suicide death puts the spotlight on bullying

By JADE BULECZA

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    BENTON, Louisiana (KTBS) — A 14-year-old Bossier City teen died by suicide in August. His family says bullies are to blame.

The tragedy has rallied community members to take a stand against bullying in schools. Stand Together has hundreds joining in a united front.

Meanwhile, an attorney representing the teenager’s family says he intends to file suit against the parents of the alleged bullies and the Bossier Parish School District.

Levi Creech’s life was cut short on Aug. 27 after he shot himself. His parents were out to dinner and his father found him after returning home.

A ninth-grader at Benton High School with a bright future is now buried at Rose-Neath’s cemetery on Swan Lake Road south of Benton. His family held a vigil for him at his grave site on Sept. 23, Benton High’s homecoming night.

Levi’s grandmother, Sandy Templeton, remembers his kind spirit.

“He loved with all his heart,” Templeton said. “He loved his friends. He loves his family. He brightened up a room for sure.”

Levi’s parents met with school counselors on three occasions to discuss the bullying of their son, according to sources who spoke to KTBS on the condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Levi talked about bullying with his parents, but not with his grandmother.

“They talked about it a lot because it happened in middle school and it started back in high school,” said Templeton.

Sources indicate there may have been as many as five bullies. The bullying was done in person at school, by text and by phone.

In one instance, Levi was bullied in class. Rather than remove the bullies, Levi was placed in room by himself. This happened the day before he killed himself, sources told KTBS.

Levi’s grandmother encourages all parents to talk to their children.

“Talk to your kids. Explain to them what bullying can do to a person,” said Templeton. “Even if it is a joke, the person they’re bullying may not take it as a joke. Their heart may be different and they may take it in a different way that it hurts them and will continue to hurt them.”

It’s got to start at home, Templeton, with parents talking to their kids. She also said there needs to be tougher punishment for those who bully in schools.

“Let ’em feel the pain. And I don’t wish pain on anybody,” Templeton said. “But something like this, they need to be punished.”

Attorney Ron Miciotto anticipates filing a lawsuit against the parents of the bullies for what their children did. Then, he wants to hold the school system responsible for not doing enough to stop the bullying.

Miciotto plans to file subpoenas to get cell phone records of all involved. That would be done after the lawsuit is filed. He does not have a time frame for filing suit because he’s in the early stages of gathering information.

The school district confirmed so far there has been no formal demand letter or legal action filed in connection with Levi’s death.

Templeton is asking people to become a part of a new group that’s uniting against bullying. Word about the non-profit organization, Stand Together, is spreading like wildfire.

More than 600 people have signed up so far. The goal is to educate and empower people to report bullying.

“Just in the last two weeks Kara and I individually spoke to 80 people and their experiences with bullying,” said Jennifer Reese, the director of Stand Together. “It’s in the procedures if you go to the Louisiana Department of Education, if you go and you really dig for the forms. But if you go to the Bossier Parish web site and you try to find the forms or find the procedures, it’s hard to find the information.”

Bullying is tracked at Bossier Parish schools. According to Bossier Schools, there are confirmed cases:

To date for the 2022-23 school year:

Bullying determinations: 4 Cyberbullying determinations: 4 2021-22 school year:

Bullying determinations: 24 Cyberbullying determinations: 3 2020-21 school year:

Bullying determinations: 12 Cyberbullying determinations: 1 According to a spokeswoman for the district, information in the bullying reports are protected by privacy laws so details were not provided to KTBS.

Levi’s grandmother says no other parent or grandparent should have to endure what she’s dealing with ever again.

“There’s so many other children out there who are being bullied,” said Templeton. “God forbid something out there like that happen to them.”

Templeton thanked the “army” that is behind the family supporting them in prayer. “We will never get over it, but we will get through it.”

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