Across the country in the Atlanta area, 11-year-old Jaheem Herrera was also being bullied, according to his family. His mother, Masika, says Jaheem never had these problems until he moved from St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands the year before. "My baby liked to dance. My baby liked to draw," she says.

Masika says Jaheem told her kids at school used to call him gay. "[They'd say]: 'You're from the Virgin Islands. You're a virgin. You're ugly. You can't do this. You can't do that,'" she says. "At first he used to tell me everything, but then he just stopped."

In April 2009, Masika says Jaheem told his best friend he'd had enough.