ALSTEAD, N.H. — A 13-year-old New Hampshire boy jumped off a bridge into a freezing river on his way home from school, eight days after his 13th birthday, after adults outside his home repeatedly dismissed his cries for help as attention-seeking.

Josiah Michael Dwinell died by suicide on March 12 after what his aunt described as relentless bullying that nobody at school seemed willing to stop.

The boy had lost his mother five years earlier. His grandmother — whom he called Mimi — adopted him and fought alongside him as the bullying escalated. She took him to the hospital multiple times as his mental health declined. She sat beside him the entire time.

But at school, where the bullying happened daily on the bus and in the hallways, adults had a different assessment.

"His mental health was overlooked, and everyone outside his home said he was seeking attention," his aunt Shaena Stebbins wrote in a Facebook post that has since prompted an outpouring of grief from the Alstead community.

Josiah didn't know how to swim. He jumped anyway.

He plunged into the Cold River in Alstead. First responders from multiple agencies worked together to recover him, but it was too late.

The New Hampshire State Police are investigating. Communications director Tyler Dumont told the Daily Mail that the department's "hearts are with everyone in Alstead mourning this tragic loss," but declined to release further details.

Josiah's mother, Amber (Lyon) Dwinell, died unexpectedly on January 11, 2021. She was 33. An obituary said she "could brighten up the darkest of days with her brilliant personality and humor."

Josiah was one of six children.

After her death, Josiah's grandmother stepped in to raise him. And when the bullying started, she fought the school. But the message kept coming back: he's just seeking attention.

"My nephew decided after a bus ride home that he couldn't handle the bullying anymore and felt the only way to stop it was to jump off a bridge into freezing cold water," Stebbins wrote.

The Fall Mountain Regional School District, which encompasses Alstead, posted a statement on social media mourning Josiah's death.

"The Fall Mountain Regional School District is deeply saddened by the tragic passing of one of our students," it read. The district made counseling available to all students and staff and encouraged parents to reach out if they had concerns about their child's mental well-being.

The counseling came after Josiah was gone.

Josiah's family started a GoFundMe to cover funeral and medical expenses. They asked for $6,500. The community has donated more than $23,000.

"Josiah was an amazing brother, son, nephew and all-around young man who meant so much to everyone who knew him," the fundraising page reads. "Josiah brought light and joy to our lives, and his absence leaves a hole in our hearts that can never be filled."

The family is circulating an image of a teal and purple ribbon with Josiah's name on it. The image reads "you are never alone" — a message for suicide awareness.

A candlelight vigil is scheduled for March 29 in Josiah's honor.

Brie Call, who said she'd known Josiah since he was a baby and knew his mother well, commented on the family's Facebook post.

"He was a sweetheart," she said. "We are totally DEVASTATED."