Parents Hopeful Sailor Son’s Suicide Leads to Legislation ABC 13News Now
Parents hopeful sailor son’s suicide leads to legislation
The “Brandon Act” would allow service members to seek help without fear of retribution.
NORFOLK, Va. — Brandon Caserta was desperate.
By late June 2018, he felt berated and bullied at work and felt he had nowhere to turn.
“He was our only child and his command completely destroyed him and completely took him away from us and we will never forgive them,” said his mother, Teri Caserta.
Brandon was assigned to HSC-28 at Naval Station Norfolk, the Dragon Whale squadron.
His parents said their son felt like he was picked on by superiors and in the end, had no choice but to take his own life.
“He left a letter,” said Brandon’s father Patrick Caserta “In it, he says he sacrificed himself for the others, to bring attention that the command was so bad and so abusive and bullying.”
The Caserta’s, who live in Arizona, are hopeful a bill being drafted in Congress, by Massachusetts Representative Seth Moulton brings about change.
The “Brandon Act” would create a system where service members seeking help would have their cases taken to unbiased entities, giving the members an avenue for seeking relief without fear of retribution.
View full article: https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/national/military-news/parents-seek-change-after-sailor-sons-suicide/291-21aae1e0-a103-47da-b675-296b37095b22
