Charlstyn Taytum Hubbard was many things to many people.
Affectionately known as Charlee Tayt, the 11-year-old Alabama sixth grader was spunky, sassy, smart, athletic and witty.
Killer dismembered landlady and covered up death by sending Moonpig Christmas cards in her nameKiller dismembered landlady and covered up death by sending Moonpig Christmas cards in her name
But, most of all, Charlee Tayt was kind.
One day at Drew Middle School in Lincoln, someone was picking on one of her classmates. Charlee Tayt quickly stepped in and took up for the student.
Her actions didn’t go unnoticed, and Charlee Tayt’s teacher applauded her kindness.
“She was just always so uplifting to others,’’ said her mother, Bliss Hubbard. “She was a vibrant little girl that loved everyone. She was so loveable and loved everybody.”
On Thursday, Oct. 24, Charlee Tayt died by suicide in the bedroom of her Talladega home.
It was tragic. It was unexpected. And it was senseless.
Her family said Charlee Tayt had a received a Facetime call from about four boys and later learned that the boys had made some negative comments about Charlee Tayt’s looks.
Within hours, Charlee Tayt was dead.
“It wasn’t an ongoing bullying situation, maybe two or three days,’’ Bliss said. “We just know it was a Facetime call making fun of her looks.”
Bliss said she went into Charlee Tayt’s room Wednesday to tell her goodnight and that she loved her.
Hours later, about 4 a.m., Bliss, who is expecting her third child with husband ,Lance, was up early and about to start a load of laundry. She realized she didn’t have enough for a full load, so she went into Charlee Tayt’s room to get her daughter’s dirty clothes.
“Then I looked at the bed….It was a horrific scene,’’ Bliss said. “I just started screaming for my husband.”
“It was a nightmare,’’ Bliss said. “It was moving so slow, but so fast at the same time.”
Charlee Tayt didn’t leave a note, but did send some text messages to her friends about 12:30 a.m. Bliss and Lance later learned about the Facetime call.
“For us, it took one time for somebody to say something for her to hurt herself,’’ Bliss said.
“Obviously, whatever she was going through that day, what was told to her was enough to make her think she wasn’t worth enough to stay alive, regardless of how much she was told at home, told by her family.”
Bliss said there was no history of depression or bullying.
“People are saying, ‘Parents should talk to the kids more,’’’ she said. “That wasn’t us. We had open communication.”
“We talked about things. We didn’t have secrets,’’ she said. “We even talked about hard things.”
Bliss said she had looked through Charlee Tayt’s phone just days before to make sure there wasn’t anything inappropriate. “I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary or that I should be concerned about,’’ she said.
The Talladega police now have Charlee Tayt’s phone, and the investigation is ongoing.
Bliss said the family – which includes Charlee Tayt’s brother, 18-year-old Easton Hubbard, who is in the U.S. Navy, has been overwhelmed by the support following Charlee Tayt’s death and the love everyone had for her.
Bliss shared this message she received on Tik Tok after she posted about Charlee Tayt’s suicide.
“Hi there. You don’t know me, but I wanted to share something with you. My daughter had had a few rough weeks and posting TikToks just made her feel better,’’ the woman wrote to Bliss.
“She doesn’t know your daughter but somehow your pretty girl saw (her daughter’s) TikTok, and she commented and said she was so, so pretty,’’ she wrote. “When my daughter read it, she got a big smile on her face, and it made her day because it was coming from someone she didn’t know.”
“I can tell you that your sweet girl was a light to anyone who knew her and even ones she didn’t,’’ the woman wrote. “I’m so sorry for your loss…I just wanted to let you know she made my baby’s day that day and your family is in our prayers.”
“She was an angel on Earth, and she knew that,’’ Bliss said. “It was just a moment of vulnerability where individuals got to her.”
Charlee Tayt was everything Bliss and Lance could have asked for in a daughter.
She was a standout softball player and gymnast. She loved all things girlie – like hair and makeup and fashion.
She excelled in school and was active in her community.
“She was the wittiest little thing and kept us humble,’’ Bliss said with a laugh. “She was one that if she thought it, it was probably coming out of her mouth.”
Bliss and Lance are not only heartbroken, but also angry.
“We don’t understand,’’ Bliss said. “I just wish in that moment that she would have come to me and gotten in the bed with us.”
“Today‚ I went into her room and just sobbed on the floor,’’ she said. “We believe in God, and I pray to him, and in the next sentence I’m asking, ‘Why my baby?’’’
“Our faith is what we have to lean on,’’ she said.
Charlee Tayt’s Celebration of Life was held Sunday at Usrey Funeral Home in Talladega.
“The funeral director said there 2,500 people there and that they never had had to turn people away, but they had to turn people away Sunday,’’ Bliss said.
Bliss asked the preacher to do an alter call at that service and said three people were saved during the funeral.
“She would be tickled to death to know all those people were there for her,’’ she said.
“This week has just shown there is so much good that can come when the community rallies together. They have really lifted us up and it has been an unbelievable sight to see.”
Asked what the family wants Charlee Tayt’s legacy to be, Bliss and Lance said, “To be kind and to teach your kids to be kind.”
“She was kind sweet girl that loved others,’’ Bliss said.
They vow not to let what happened to Charlee Tayt to be forgotten, and plan to speak out against suicide and bullying.
“We are throwing out ideas,’’ Bliss said. “We’ve talked about going into schools or churches.”
“We’ve got to pray where God wants us,” she said, “but this doesn’t end here, today.’’
