In the days following the tragic death of Bailey O'Neill, a lot of people jumped to the conclusion that the Darby Township youth was a victim of bullying.
The Delaware County case gained national prominence as the latest example in what is clearly a growing problem - bullying among young people.
There was only one problem with that scenario. Investigators had not been able to find any evidence that this was a case of bullying. That's what Darby Township police found in their initial investigation. That's what the district attorney's office found. And this week it is what can be gleaned from the extensive autopsy done on Bailey O'Neill's brain and body by the experts at Children's Hospital.
It does not make Bailey's death one bit less tragic. It does not ease even a little bit the sense of loss that has rocked his family and friends.
It was left to District Attorney Jack Whelan to break the news: Investigators could find no finding of trauma or evidence that trauma played a role in Bailey's death.
This was a schoolyard fight that went horribly wrong. Bailey got involved in a scrap with another youth, who will now likely face juvenile charges of simple assault. He suffered several blows to the face. He did not fight back. The while confrontation on the playground at Darby Township Elementary School was over in 30 seconds. Bailey sank to his knees, but did not hit his head, as many have alleged. He also did not suffer a broken nose.
There will no more serious charges filed in the case, certainly not the homicide charges many who knew Bailey had hoped would be forthcoming.
There are those who continue to question the investigation, as well as the way Whelan handled it.
Don't count me among them. From the beginning, we refrained from referring to this case as "bullying." That's because there had been no ruling that was the case.
Now there has, but it's not what most people thought. The ruling is that the schoolyard fight cannot be connected to Bailey's tragic death. Whelan said Bailey O'Neill died of epileptic seizures.
Look, if Bailey's death makes young people think twice before they decide to throw a punch on school playgrounds, that's fine by me. If his death continues to put a focus on "bullying," I don't really have a problem with that either.
But as tragic as it clearly is, this is not a case of "bullying."
That doesn't make me feel any better about the loss of a young life. I'm sure it is not what Bailey's family and friends had hoped for. They have made their feelings clear in letters, phone calls and emails, all questioning the D.A.'s decision and doubting the medical findings.
I don't expect to change their mind here.
I also don't expect those findings to change what happened or the cause of Bailey's death. I assume lots of people are not going to be convinced that the fight did not somehow play a role in the medical problems that Bailey developed in the weeks following the altercation.
I'm not sure I can say I blame them. But it won't change those findings.
There are those who continue to question the investigation, as well as the way Whelan handled it.
Don't count me among them. From the beginning, we refrained from referring to this case as "bullying." That's because there had been no ruling that was the case.
Now there has, but it's not what most people thought. The ruling is that the schoolyard fight cannot be connected to Bailey's tragic death. Whelan said Bailey O'Neill died of epileptic seizures.
Look, if Bailey's death makes young people think twice before they decide to throw a punch on school playgrounds, that's fine by me. If his death continues to put a focus on "bullying," I don't really have a problem with that either.
But as tragic as it clearly is, this is not a case of "bullying."
That doesn't make me feel any better about the loss of a young life. I'm sure it is not what Bailey's family and friends had hoped for. They have made their feelings clear in letters, phone calls and emails, all questioning the D.A.'s decision and doubting the medical findings.
I don't expect to change their mind here.
I also don't expect those findings to change what happened or the cause of Bailey's death. I assume lots of people are not going to be convinced that the fight did not somehow play a role in the medical problems that Bailey developed in the weeks following the altercation.
I'm not sure I can say I blame them. But it won't change those findings.
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