Parents mourn a son lost to bullying

 

LENOIR CITY, Tenn. (WVLT)-- Lisa and Thom Jones are comforted by handwritten letters from students at Lenoir City High School sharing stories about their son Colt Jones.

Jones was found dead last month after a massive search in Loudon County. His parents said he was bullied to death.

"He was an intelligent child...they were calling him stupid. He was a handsome child they were calling him ugly," his mother Lisa Jones said.

She also said they threw things at him and called him names like "pinnochio."

No one knew just how bad things were at school, but his poetry and school yearbook said it all.

In his yearbook last year, he was quoted saying: "... I think the popular kids are the meanest. They pick on anyone who is not in their standards."

And his colorful poetry became dark.

"I'll run far away and disappear, if I never appeared than I'd never fear," read Lisa Jones.

His parents told Local 8 News he was born with several birth defects. They worried how the rest of the world would perceive him, but they never though his looks would cost him his life.

"You're left wondering what could I have done differently. You look at this and go what a waste," said Jones. "This didn't have to happen. He must have felt he had no other way out."

Now, the Jones can only hope no other parents have to experience a loss like theirs. They said they hope schools put in place programs to recognize bullying and do something about it before it gets so bad a child feels they have no other options.