There have been a rash of teen suicides as of late relating to bullying GLBTQ students. Samantha Kelly was none of those things. Samantha was a 14 year old student at Huron High School in Michigan. She reported having sex with an 18 year old student, which qualifies as statutory rape under Michigan law. In one interview, Samantha also made references that lead people to believe that the sex was not consensual.
The accused student, Joseph Tanopolski, admitted to a local TV station that he did indeed have sex with the 14 year old, essentially admitting to breaking Michigan state law.
Once this story became public, Samantha was forced to endure taunting and bullying by students in the school, many of them taking sides with her accused rapist. She was accosted, screamed at, chased, threatened, and they made her life a living hell.
On November 8, 2010, Samantha Kelly ended her life by hanging herself. She could no longer endure the treatment of her peers. After Samantha hanged herself, the prosecutors decided to drop all charges against her accused rapist saying that they were unable to move forward without Samantha's testimony. They have a confession on tape that was broadcast throughout the community and contributed to the eventual death of a tormented 14 year old girl and they chose to drop the charges. How convenient for Tanopolski.
There will apparently be no justice for Samantha Kelly. This is yet another glaring example of how Michigan, along with a handful of other states, are ignoring bullying in their youth and becoming a de facto contributor to the pain and brutality that they are enduring.
I hope that we don't have more stories about more Samanthas. Sadly, until people stand up and speak out, I fear that this is not the end of the needless loss of life.
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