Did Bullying Lead to Teen's Suicide?

As the Crescenta Valley community reels from Friday's suicide of a teen-age boy, many questions remain about why the youth ended his life, and how he accessed the roof from which authorities say he took a running leap.

from a three-story building on the Crescenta Valley High School campus Friday, hitting the populated quad at the start of lunch time, Lt. John Corina said during a press conference. Several students witnessed the event, others described hearing it. 

CV freshman Myles Dalmau told the Glendale News-Press that a few minutes after the bell rang for lunch, he heard a thud that he thought was a gunshot. Students crowded around the body, which lay face down down and motionless, the article states. Ferraro fell a few feet from Dalmau's friend.

Of the grisly scene, Dalmau told the News-Press, "It was pretty disturbing.'' 

Late Friday night, Brandy Heine's daughter was still in disbelief about what she saw, Heine told Patch, adding that her daughter and Ferraro had gone to school together since third grade. 

"This is very tramatic for someone her age to experience and have to deal with. She said [Ferraro] was a nice kid and didn't deserve this,'' Heine said, adding, "My daughter and her friends feel that bullying was definitely a factor.''

"They tell me that he was often bullied and that the bullying started last year,'' she said. 

CV student Olin Tellefsen told CBS News that Ferraro was a close friend. He described Ferraro as "a smart, witty kid who played football and loved heavy metal, concerts and his friends,'' the website states.  Tellefsen said Ferraro was taunted. He mentioned Ferraro was involved in a fight with several boys last year that upset him deeply but he never expected this.

Glendale Unified School District Superintendent Richard Sheehan said repeatedly on Friday that officials have no indication that the boy's death is a result of bullying. Last week, the high school held a student assembly to address bullying and methods for coping, the News-Press reported.

The school's main focus now is to comfort the grieving familiy and ensure that crisis counselors are available to students for as long as they'll need help. School is canceled for Monday. 

It is unclear how Ferraro accessed the roof - another point of contention for Heine. 

"I think the CV staff failed for many reasons. How does a student get roof access to the third story (or any story for that matter) during school hours and not one person sees him?

"As a parent of four daughters I am appalled that this happened. I send my children to school everyday thinking that they are safe. I hope that the school will stand up and take responsibility for their part in this. I hope that they will do right by Drew's family and by all the students who saw it,'' Heine said.

The is continuing its investigation.