Family of McMinn Central High School student releases photo

McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy said Thursday that although a lot has been said on Facebook about alleged bullying of a Central High School student who took her own life Monday, the investigation has so far not uncovered any specific connection.

Morgan Johnson, 17, of Englewood, Tenn., was a junior who missed school on Tuesday, and around noon was found lying beside her vehicle in a church parking lot in McMinn County, dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“We’ve had a lot of people raise the issue of bullying,” Guy said. “And while we agree that bullying should not be tolerated, no one we’ve talked with is able to identify a specific incident or a specific person or group of people who might have harassed Morgan. ... It’s just hearsay and rumors that haven’t been substantiated yet. ”

But Guy and school system Superintendent David Pierce say that one positive is the community’s attention to bullying.

“Whether or not bullying led to Morgan’s loss, it’s still good that our community is talking about bullying,” added Guy. “Young people are speaking out more about their past experiences and their concerns, and that’s a good thing.”

If bullying may have led to the student’s death, her parents, the sheriff’s office and school administrators are encouraging anyone who has specific information to come forward.