Autumn started sleeping more, smiling less, and began wearing darker clothing—changes her parents now recognize as possible signs of distress. Her obituary described her as a child with

“deep empathy, a soft heart, and always ready to lend a listening ear or offer support.”

Autumn’s kind heart, however, may have made her a target. Her parents shared that she was a victim of relentless bullying—both at school and online. They say Autumn was targeted because she stood up for others.

“She was one if somebody was getting bullied or picked on, she would stand up for them,”

Summer explained.

“And unfortunately, that may have made her a target for more bullying.”

While they had reported the bullying to the school, the Bushman family feels that not enough was done to intervene.

Autumn’s father, Mark Bushman, also spoke about the added pressures children face