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A little boy with a range of disabilities, including Asperger's, was attacked so badly by a gang of bullies at his primary school that he spent three nights in hospital.
McKenzie-Graye Evans was reportedly punched and kicked by three boys who followed him into the lavatories at Edge Hill Junior School in Stapenhill, Stafforidshire.
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His mum and dad say the latest incident is just one of many bullying episodes McKenzie-Graye has suffered in the four years he has been at the school. They say staff at Edge Hill have failed in their care of duty towards him.
McKenzie-Graye was left so badly bruised by the attack in the toilets that he developed severe infections and bleeding under his skin. Concerned doctors feared the infection could spread to his bones, and hospitalised him.
The youngster's outraged father Shane Robinson told the Daily Mail: "He came home on his last day of school and could hardly walk because he was in so much pain. He spent three nights in hospital before being discharged and he's at home on medication now, but he still isn't right at all."
He said that McKenzie-Graye had initially just endured name-calling, shoving and pushing at school, but in the last year, his abusers had started to become more physical.
"Because of his special needs McKenzie-Graye will react - never in a violent way, however - and they laugh at his reactions," his dad said, adding that the little boy had been so upset about what was going on at school that he had spoken of suicide.
McKenzie-Graye's mum, Nadine Evans, said her heart had been broken over the attack.
"He doesn't deserve this. He's seen as an easy target because he's vulnerable. To see him upset, distressed, panicking and with physical injuries where yobs have attacked him is not what any parent ever wants to see," she said.
"He only went to that school because we struggled getting him into a special needs school. It makes me so angry to hear my boy talking about suicide at his age."
Staffordshire Police confirmed an assault was reported and said they had visited the alleged attackers and spoken to them and their parents:
"We gave the boys and their parents suitable advice and this course of action was agreed by the victim's mother," a spokesperson said.
However, McKenzie's school said they were unaware of the attack or that McKenzie had been in hospital.
"This incident was not reported to any member of staff on the day or subsequently and I am very sorry to hear the news that one of our pupils has been taken into hospital as the result of an incident," said Michael Manger, the head teacher.
This is SUCH a shocking story. Let's hope he makes a fully recovery, and settles into a happy school environment next term.