Bullied Boy Dies: Father-of-Bully - "my-son-is-not-a-monster"

Posted: March 5, 2013

As a bullied boy dies in Pennsylvania, the bully himself has come under fire from all directions. But despite the beliefs of the father of Bailey O’Neill investigators are unsure whether bullying was even involved and the father of the purported bully says, “My son is not the monster that everybody is trying to make him out to be.”
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the bullied boy was attacked in school by classmates early in February, and it seems the extent of his injuries was not immediately apparent. While Bailey sustained a broken nose in the incident, as well as a concussion, he was treated and released to his parents — who soon observed their son was not behaving normally.

After seizures began, doctors put Bailey into a medically-induced coma from which he never awakened. Bailey had turned 12 the day before he died. Counselors have been called in after the bullied boy’s death.

The bullied boy dying has caused much controversy, with some saying that bullying criminal charges might be an option. Recorded bully fights like the Jaide WHHS fight even made the news because of Twitter.

According to NBC News 10, Harry Hairston says that investigators are unsure if the injuries Bailey suffered in the fight ultimately led to his death, or if it was even a case of bullying at all:

“Right now investigators are telling me there was no history of anything that shows they [O'Neill and two other boys] had bad blood between them. Their point of view right now is that they don’t have any information to say, absolutely, that this is a case of bullying.”

The medical examiner expects to know the exact cause of Bailey’s death on Tuesday. The seizures did not even start until a week after the schoolyard fight, so it’s possible there is not a medical connection.

According to Philly.com, the father of Bailey O’Neill has a different story to tell:

“[O'Neill] said he heard that about a week before the Jan. 10 incident that his son had bullying issues with the boy who allegedly punched him. He said some other parents have said their children have had bullying problems at the school. O’Neill said his son told him one boy pushed him into the boy who had allegedy bullied him and who punched him. He said his son didn’t want to fight.”

The alleged bully’s father spoke to NBC and was asked whether criminal charges would be filed and also whether he thought the bullied boy’s death was the result of his son’s actions:

“No, because I know my son is not guilty of anything. I don’t think so. My son is very slight. But I’m not a doctor.”

When the father was asked what he had to say to the Bailey family, he replied, “I don’t know the family. But no one wants death on anybody.”

As the bullied boy dies, what do you think of the father’s statements?