A painful start to the school year. Paolo Mendico, 14, took his own life on the morning of September 11th in Santi Cosma e Damiano, in the province of Latina, just hours before classes began. The tragedy has opened a case at the Cassino Prosecutor's Office, which is investigating for incitement to suicide.
According to the reports of his parents and older brother, the boy had been a victim of bullying since elementary school, with incidents that were reported to the schools several times.
"Our son was persecuted," declared his mother, Simonetta La Marra, adding that formal and informal complaints had never received adequate responses from the teaching staff.
Investigators seized Paolo's cell phone and other devices, as well as those of several peers who may be involved. The school principal has been interviewed by the Prosecutor's Office. At the same time, Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara has ordered two inspections: one at the middle school where the boy previously attended and the Pacinotti Technical Institute, where he was due to begin the new year.
The family's testimony
Paolo's brother, Ivan Roberto, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, describing the ordeal the 14-year-old endured, including teasing, assaults, and humiliation. "They waited for him in the bathroom, calling him 'Paoletta,' 'sissy,' 'Little Prince.' He became a target simply because he had long hair or took great care in his appearance," his mother reported.
The first formal complaint apparently dates back to fifth grade, when a classmate allegedly pointed a plastic screwdriver at Paolo. "We contacted the police, but the teacher didn't intervene," she added, recalling how subsequent reports—even written ones—were ignored.
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