Community Mourns Diego, 13, Bullied Boy Who Died After Attack

MORENO VALLEY, CA —When Diego showed up to school on Sept. 16, it would be the last time he walked through the doors of Landmark Middle School in the Southern California city of Moreno Valley. It would be the last time he walked at all.

It was on that day, while at the school located about 90 minutes inland of Los Angeles, that the 13-year-old boy was attacked by two other students, sucker-punched and knocked unconscious on school grounds. He died nine days later.

Sheriff's officials said the teen, identified only as Diego, was declared “clinically dead” Tuesday night, but he remains on life support while his family makes arrangements to donate his organs to “transform this tragedy into the gift of life for other children."

The attack was captured via a cell phone camera. The video shows one boy punching Diego in the face, then the other, according to KTLA news. Witnesses and investigators said Diego hit a pillar nearby and began foaming at the mouth.

The pair accused of bullying and attacking Diego, also each 13 years old, are now facing criminal charges, the Riverside County District Attorney’s office said.

Petitions were filed on Sept. 18 in juvenile court charging them with assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury, according to John Hall, a spokesman for the D.A.’s office. One of the accused teens is due in court on Oct. 2 for an initial hearing, while the other has a pre-trial hearing slated for Oct. 15. Neither suspect was publicly identified due to their ages.

“At this time, those are the filed petitions in this case,” Hall told Patch on Friday. “As with any case, should we receive updated information or evidence, we can amend to add, change, or file different charges.”

Meanwhile, the community is mourning Diego. Hundreds of people gathered outside the school on Tuesday after police announced his death. Many of them expressed their frustrations with cases of bullying in the school district.

Signs are now posted along the school’s fencing. One such tribute — placed next to a permanent ‘Hands Off, Bully Stop’ placard — reads “We Love You Diego.”

"Our community and the Moreno Valley Unified School District family has suffered an immeasurable loss," Moreno Valley Unified School District Superintendent Martinrex Kedziora said at a press conference on Wednesday, ABC7 reported. "On behalf of the Board of Education, I want to send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of our beloved student."

According to ABC7, such troubles are not new at this particular school. In 1998, a 12-year-old boy died following a fight on campus, and back in March of this year, a large fight involving some 50 students broke out on campus.

Diego’s classmates said the boy had been previously bullied, according to reports. And before the teen died, the school district hosted a parent meeting following the attack, addressing the issue of bullying.

"We ... used this opportunity to discuss our efforts to prevent and deal with bullying behaviors in our schools," Kedziora said in an announcement on the district's website.

Diego’s family has yet to speak publicly about the tragedy involving their son, but have issued messages to the community via the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, which said the family "convey[s] their appreciation for the outpouring of support in this most difficult of times."

A gathering, which police said is indeed sanctioned by Diego’s family, is planned for Saturday, Sept. 28, in Moreno Valley. That was scheduled for 5 p.m. at 25328 Juanita Ave.

The Menace Of Bullies: Patch Advocacy Reporting Project

As part of a national reporting project, Patch has been looking at society's roles and responsibilities in bullying and a child's unthinkable decision to end their own life in hopes we might offer solutions that save lives.

Do you have a story to tell? Are you concerned about how your local schools handle bullies and their victims?

Email us at bullies@patch.com and share your views in the comments.

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