After teen's death, mom shares regret over not reporting bullying

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) - Friends and family gathered Friday in Muncie to remember 15-year-old Tori Swoape. 

The group made T-shirts, with proceeds going to the Swoape family. Tori took her own life earlier this week. Her mother told 24-Hour News she was bullied.

“I know she was hurting, but I didn't know it was to the extent that she would take her own life,” Lana Swoape said.

She is now mourning the loss of her daughter and regretting she didn't do more to prevent her death.

Tori hung herself inside her Bloomington home. Lana blamed bullying at Bloomington North High School.

“She was new, and she got teased a lot because ... the girls were jealous because all the guys liked her and the girls didn't,” she said.

Lana feared telling the school about her daughters torment..would only make matters worse.

“I asked Tori if she wanted me to. She begged me not to: 'Mom, please don’t. You will make it harder on me.' I can't tell you if the school knew," Lana said. "I didn’t say something to the school. As a mother, that breaks my heart that I didn’t.”

Lana said Tori just wanted to be accepted, but instead was the subject of name-calling and rumors, too much for her daughter to bare.

“They have to live with this the rest of their lives, what my daughter has done. They know who they are, and they know what she has done. They can't bring her back,”  Lana said.

Funeral arrangements for Tori are being made. Lana hopes her daughter’s story will help end bullying.