Clare McCann’s desperate pleas for help while 13yo son Atreyu was ‘bullied to death’

A mother who says her teenage son was bullied to death claims the school that ignored their pleas for help has not even contacted her since he died. Her emails to the school reveal her desperate attempts to help him.

Thirteen-year-old Atreyu McCann suicided last week, after what his mum Clare McCann describes as relentless bullying at school. Picture: Supplied

A mother who claims her teenage son was bullied to death says the school that ignored their pleas for help has not even contacted her since he died.

Atreyu McCann, 13, took his own life a week ago, after what his mother Clare McCann insists was months of bullying and torment by his classmates at a Sydney public high school.

Ms McCann, an actor and filmmaker, said her despair at losing her only child to suicide was compounded by the school not bothering to reach out to her.

“Nothing from them at all ... the Department of Education called to say they were sorry and offer condolences, but I told them it was too late, they should have done something about the bullies sooner,” Ms McCann said.

Atreyu started Year 7 at the school in early February, but by May 1 Ms McCann informed the school he couldn’t come back.

Clare McCann (left) says her 13-year-old son Atreyu was bullied to death and his school did nothing to help him. Picture: Supplied

“Atreyu feels his reports of bullying were not taken seriously enough ... and has completely lost faith in the school’s ability to make him feel safe,” she wrote in an email.

In earlier correspondence with the school, Ms McCann alerted them to her son’s school bag being repeatedly stolen, and him being subject to verbal abuse and sexual harassment.

One of the text messages Ms McCann sent to the school.

Advising the school that Atreyu would not be returning.

“Atreyu is suffering anxiety including sleeping issues over no proper action being taken to over 10 reports of bullying, including racism, physical assault, sexual harassment, threats and theft,” she wrote on April 1.

“I have been waiting on a phone call or meeting from the school in relation to a report of the recent incidents for over five days”.

The devastated mother has been crowd-funding to have Atreyu’s body cryopreserved, so that he has a chance at “another life”.

But with less than $10,000 raised from a $300,000 target of what the process costs, Ms McCann said she may have to bury her son instead.

“It’s another blow not to be able to give him his wish, but my family and I just don’t have that kind of money,” she said.

Another email Ms McCann sent to the school about the incidents. She says she heard nothing back from the school.

Ms McCann has been crowd-funding to have Atreyu’s body cryopreserved to give him ‘another chance at life’.

She hopes her son’s legacy will shine a light on bullying, and how it destroys people.

“He was so excited to go off to high school, new friends ... and then it just broke him, he was broken, he was a different person and he didn’t come back from that,” she said.

The NSW Department of Education said counselling was being provided to Atreyu’s friends and staff at the school.

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Originally published as Clare McCann’s desperate pleas for help while 13yo son Atreyu was ‘bullied to death’