Florida Teen Lamar ‘Shaq’ Hawkins Bullied to Suicide Made Several Reports to Administration

Lamar Hawkins III should have been enjoying his school years, instead he died alone in a bathroom stall at the Greenwood Lakes Middle School, last Wednesday. Now claims are coming out how the teen tried reaching for help with his parents and instead ran into a brick wall. One family is grieving the tragic loss of their son, a loss they should not had endured. The family’s attorney Matt Morgan spoke to The News and shared the teen had been bullied “multiple” times at his school.

Authorities will be turning to the school to find out what reports were filed with them, as police received no official reports.

Lamar was fondly referred to as Shaq by his family, and endured health issues earlier in his life. He had a smaller stature than classmates and the family believes this made him an easy prey for bullies. Shaniqua Hawkins, Shaq’s mother shared her son endured being pushed down steps at school, mocked at lunch and knocked out of his desk chair.

The family uprooted from New York to Florida and yet his new school brought bullies to the teen who was known as “positive” despite being tormented on a daily basis.

The grieving mother said she felt “paralyzed by the inability to make the bullying stop at school.” Last week Shaniqua went to her son’s school to pick up her son around 5 p.m., but could not locate her son. She went home but Shaq was not there either. The family reported him missing, bringing deputies and relatives to search the neighborhoods for the teen.

In the school bathroom, Shaq was found with his father’s handgun. Suicide was listed as the cause of death, investigators are talking with the family who said the gun was secured and properly stored.

The bigger issue points to the rise of bullying in schools. Shaq joins other teens around the country who have felt desperate to escape the name calling, the physical and mental torment. One of those teens was Rebecca Sedwick who committed suicide last fall.

Her mother, Tricia Norman stood with the Hawkins’ family to demand answers. She said the children and families are reporting events but the administration is not taking the claims seriously enough. Instead “many of these children are being brushed under the rug,” Tricia shared.

School officials will be questioned by investigators, as the family states they met with the administration often, the most recent visit was just two weeks ago.

The family is grieving, and many wonder how many more families have to face the tragic loss. Please, talk to your children and teens and advise them this behavior is not tolerated, and more importantly have them get involved. If they see an instance of bullying, please reach out to a parent, so they can contact authorities. The Hawkins family has started a Go Fund Me account to cover the expenses of Shaq’s funeral.

Rest in peace, Lamar “Shaq” Hawkins III.