US teen died by suicide following bullying claims

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A school in East Hampton, the eastern tip of Long Island, is in the spotlight following the death of a teenager who it’s feared could have been the victim of anti-gay bullying.

The body of 16-year-old David Hernandez Barros was found at his family home last month on the evening of Saturday, 29 September.

East Hampton Police say his death was an apparent suicide.

According to 27east.com, the East Hampton Press says claims that Barros, who was born in Ecuador, had suffered homophobic bullying have been circulating on the internet, but they have not been confirmed.

The publication reports that so far his family have declined to comment.

“This has been a tragedy. We are grieving for David, his family and our community,” East Hampton School Superintendent Richard Burns said in a statement released earlier this month.

An LGBT youth organisation has said it will now increase its efforts to open a community support centre in the area.

The Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth Network will also hold a public meeting at East Hampton High School, where Hernandez, was a junior, to discuss the circumstances surrounding his death on 22 October.

Hernandez had previously attended Gay-Straight Alliance meetings, a projected designed to encourage LGBT tolerance at the high school.

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