Investigators uncover horrific bullying after my daughter committed suicide
In May 2021, my world came to a stop. My beautiful 15 year-old daughter Kira took her own life. We found her body under the stairs at our house. She had jumped from the second floor.
- 7 months ago
March 10, 2023
José Manuel fights to create a safe space for children and to raise awareness against bullying in every school in Spain. | Photo courtesy of @jordiotix and @manu_mitru on Instagram
BARCELONA, Spain — My daughter always seemed so happy at home. Her smile illuminated her entire face, and the sound of her laughter carried through the house. Every morning before school, I kissed her goodbye and watched her go. I never realized the pain and suffering she carried every day. She fought a battle we never knew about.
One day, my daughter gave up the fight, and I felt like I died with her. Through my anger and grief, I vowed to make sure no other child experiences what she went through. Now, I fight to raise awareness about bullying. I created a community for parents seeking justice. Together, we hope to implement a strict anti-bullying campaign at every school in Spain.
Read more powerful testimonies about bullying and fighting for inclusion at Orato World Media.
The day my daughter took her life
In May 2021, my world came to a stop. My beautiful 15 year-old daughter Kira took her own life. We found her body under the stairs at our house. She had jumped from the second floor. When I first saw her lying there, I could not grasp what happened.
My heart began beating out of my chest and I ran to help her. I attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but nothing worked. She never came back to me. I looked at her, begging for a reaction. My wife began to cry uncontrollably. It felt unreal, like we were trapped in a nightmare. I just sat there, unable to process anything, and unable to let go of my Kira.
I never knew the extent of my daughter’s suffering at school. Kids can be quite adept at disguising it, keeping quiet out of fear. She only spoke to me a couple times, confiding that she felt uneasy around certain teachers and classmates sent her offensive messages. We reported it, but nothing happened. The school promised to take care of it, but things remained unchanged. We soon realized many schools turn a blind eye, failing to enforce antibullying policies.
Investigators discover terrifying messages on her computer
Ever since that terrible day, my wife and I no longer fear death. I now view it as a step into another dimension. I feel dead in my everyday life, longing to see Kira again. Nearly two years has passed, and time still feels frozen. Every day, I see people go about their lives, driving to work, preparing meals, or planning their futures, yet I cannot move on. I replay memories with Kira over and over in my head, wishing I had done more. If I could travel back in time, I would.
I still think my daughter kept many things quiet, things we may never know. Perhaps she did it to protect us somehow. In our home, she was always loved, but she brought that pain back with her every night. I try to remember the small things to see if I missed any signs. I even questioned people in her friend group, desperately seeking answers.
Days after her death, the authorities began investigating her case. They found horrible messages on her computer. Classmates sent her death threats almost every day. The behavior she dealt with shocked us. We also discovered unreasonable or unusual punishments subjected upon her at school, such as being left alone with a teacher in a classroom or being hazed by other students. My heart sank when I learned about it all. I felt as though I failed to protect her. I promised myself I would fight for justice.
Fighting for anti-bullying laws
My blood boils every time I hear about a similar case of bullying on social networks or through the news. Many of them end terribly, just like with Kira. I knew I needed to do something to stop it. No child should feel unsafe, whether at home or in school. I took it upon myself to raise awareness and become an activist against bullying. I spoke about Kira’s case and reached thousands of people through social media. Many families reached out to me and shared their stories. I received testimonies of suicides, mental traumas, eating disorders, and severe depression. I saw how it affected so many people and yet, so little is done about it. It almost feels normalized.
We must implement an anti-bullying law in Spain. It already exists in other countries, such as France and England. Spain should be no exception. We need to protect our children from harm and raise awareness. Teachers and parents should be able to help in those situations instead of remaining in the dark. I get closer every day to reaching my goal. I offer my support to affected families by attending their trials and writing reports as a judicial expert. Furthermore, I created a website to help guide parents of children who suffer from bullying. To date, we have over 200,000 signatures in favor of a law against bullying in Spain. Every time I help someone, I feel like I honor my daughter’s life in some way, and that feeling keeps me alive.
