ALSTEAD, N.H. — A New Hampshire community is demanding answers following the suicide of 13-year-old Josiah Michael Dwinell, who took his own life just eight days after his birthday. The tragedy has ignited a firestorm of criticism regarding school safety and mental health protocols, as family members allege the teen’s pleas for help were repeatedly ignored by officials.
Dwinell died on Thursday, March 12, in Alstead. While local authorities have not yet released an official investigative report, the boy’s family is speaking out to ensure his death serves as a catalyst for change.
Shaena Stebbins, Dwinell’s aunt, revealed via social media and a verified GoFundMe campaign that the teenager faced “ongoing bullying” both at school and on the bus. According to Stebbins, the harassment was a known issue that Dwinell and his adoptive mother—his grandmother, or “Mimi”—had been fighting to resolve for months.
“He went to the hospital on numerous occasions where his Mimi sat by his side… trying to get him the help he was seeking,” Stebbins wrote. “His mental health was overlooked, and everyone outside his home said he was seeking attention.”
The family alleges that a final incident during a bus ride home served as the breaking point for the teen, who had already suffered the loss of his biological mother five years prior.
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The case highlights a growing national concern regarding “attention-seeking” stigmas in pediatric mental health. Despite multiple hospital visits and parental advocacy, the family maintains that school and medical systems failed to provide a necessary intervention.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) New Hampshire has responded to the tragedy by urging parents to engage in radical transparency with their children. Executive Director Susan Stearns emphasized that direct communication is a lifesaving tool, not a risk factor.
“If you are concerned that someone might be considering suicide, then you want to ask that directly,” Stearns told WMUR. “It’s a myth that you’re going to put an idea into someone’s head.”
As the Alstead community mourns, Dwinell is being remembered as a “light and joy” whose absence leaves an irreparable void. A memorial fund has been established to cover funeral expenses and honor his legacy.
This investigation remains active as advocates call for a review of local school bullying policies and the response of emergency mental health services in the region.
