9 Year Old Commits Suicide

Montana Lance, a 9 nine old fourth grader went to see the school nurse. He then went into the restroom, locked the door and hung himself. This is a real tragedy.

For many people, they cannot imagine kids this young even contemplating suicide. Between the years 1999 through 2006, there have been 33 suicides by kids with the age range of 5 to 9 years old reported CNN.com.

It is very important to pay attention to mood swings of children. It is also relevant to take note if your child is isolating himself much more than usual.

It does not matter whether the kids committed suicide are black or white. The suicide for both both races of children are startling and growing.

Donna Barnes, co-founder of the National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide stated that many Black people consider themselves strong people that can deal with their problems, and do not have time for depression.

Statistics help feed the fiction that black teens do not kill themselves. Whites who are 15 to 19 years old are twice as likely to kill themselves as their black counterparts. These statistics do not tell the complete story.

From 1980 to 1995, the suicide rate among black boys age 15 to 19 jumped 128 percent while it only increased by just 19 percent for white boys in the same age range, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although it has declined some since then, suicide is the third leading cause of death among young black males.

This is an issue that must taken seriously and it should not be ignored.