Sam Leeson was bullied because of his goth image
A gifted teenager may have committed suicide after being bullied for his love of the controversial goth-style music emo, his family said today.
Sam Leeson, 13, who wore black clothes and was a follower of the darkly emotional rock, was found hanging dead in his room in Gloucester last Thursday.
His relatives say he was targeted because of his “alternative dress” and involvement with the emo scene and that the bullying may have extended to the internet.
Emo music, described as “punk with emotion”, has been made popular by bands like My Chemical Romance whose album The Black Parade topped the charts.
Sam’s mother, Sally Cope said her son was a “huge” music fan with a taste for emo-style bands as well as rockers The Foo Fighters.
She told the Gloucester Citizen: “He was into his appearance and often wore his black skinny jeans.
He was an alternative dresser and I think other teenagers did use to make comments about that.
“He was quite quiet and very thoughtful but he also had a lot of friends and we have been overwhelmed by the amount of people who have sent cards and left flowers and messages at the school.”
She added: “He was such a loving boy. We all loved him very much and he was always telling us how much he loved us.
“We have a big family but he was very close to us all. He loved being an an uncle to his nephew Sidney. We just can’t believe what has happened.”
His oldest sister Emma, 22, said: “We saw him as always happy and smiling but we now think there has been some name calling about the whole emo thing. We know some bullying has been going on and we are disgusted and angry about it.
“We do not want to attack the school as they have been very good but we are very upset it has come to this.”
Ms Cope, from Tredworth, called for social networking sites like Bebo – where Sam was a member – to be more heavily vetted for malicious comments.
She said: “I’m not sure what influence these sites have but if they are a method of expressing things maybe they should be checked more.
“If there is anything that can come from this utterly pointless death of a lovely boy we want to try and help. Whether it is a campaign or a just some way of helping people to speak out. We want to help the quiet ones who are perhaps suffering and no-one knows so this tragedy doesn’t happen to another family.”
Peter Rowland, headteacher at Severn Vale School, Quedgeley, said: “Sam was a popular student in Year 9 and one who was wonderfully creative in his writing and his work. He is a great loss to the Severn Vale School community.”
Yesterday flowers and messages of love were left at the front of the school gates.
Website Emo Corner claims the genre is more a way of life than just a taste in music. Black eyeliner, hair and clothes are the basis of the emo look, with long fringes and tight jeans.
The site explains: “Some say…it is more of a fashion and a way of feeling, hence the emotional.
“Wondering why everyone hates emo? Not all emo people are cry babies or suicidal. Many emo kids come from families which are having serious issues whether it being money issues or what have you.”
Last month the hanging of 13-year-old Hannnah Bond, from Kent, was widely linked with her being a follower of the emo lifestyle.
After her death My Chemical Romance spoke out in defence of the genre saying they were “anti-suicide” and pointing to the positive message in their lyrics.
He leaves behind his parents Ms Cope and Christopher Leeson, as well as six siblings, Emma, Victoria, Thomas, Katie, Rio and Milly. The family said funeral arrangements had yet to be made.
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