Kaitlynn Eller has passed away.
A 12 year old girl in Illinois committed suicide after relentless bullying that was repeatedly ignored by her school.
Kaitlynn Eller, 12, of Decatur, Illinois passed away on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
Her family was aware of the bullying.
They advocated for their daughter.
They sought support for her mental health.
They reported to the school.
They even got the Sheriff’s involved.
Though despite the school administration and staff being fully aware of the bullying, Kaitlynn’s family says they never intervened in a serious way.
Kaitlynn’s older sister, Kelsey, says the bullying was constantly ignored by the school and they failed to hold anyone accountable.
She says one of the bully’s parents even contacted their mom trying to intimidate them, which was also reported to the school – and nothing was done.
In her statement, she addresses Sangamon Valley Middle School directly for failing to protect their students.
“The system failed her,” she said in a statement. “The adults failed her. The school failed her.”
Kaitlynn was a member of Harristown Foursquare Church and was a cheerleader and played basketball.
She also loved riding horses and was learning to be a barrel racer.
A GFM has been created to help her family with funeral costs and ongoing support as they navigate this tragic loss.
This should never happen.
Bullying is not “kids being kids” – it is trauma, and when it’s ignored or brushed off, it can have irreversible consequences.
If you are a parent, please talk to your children. Ask hard questions. Listen closely. Advocate loudly.
Kaitlynn mattered.
Her life mattered. And we owe it to her, and every child like her, to take bullying seriously.
