Mom of transgender teen who reportedly committed suicide: 'He was a good kid, a good boy'

KINGS MILL, Ohio -- The mother of a transgender teenager whose alleged suicide note went viral spoke out about her relationship with her child, saying that her child only spoke to her once about her gender identity and that she had never heard the name Leelah.

"He never said that name before," Carla Alcorn told CNN in an interview.

At the end of the suicide note believed to belong to her, the teen crossed out her birth name -- Josh -- and wrote in "Leelah."

The note went viral after Leelah was killed after being hit by a truck Sunday. Her death is being investigated as a suicide.

Tumblr removed the note, which was posted the night Leelah died, but not before it was viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

The note is still available on the Facebook page of Cincinnati City Councilman Chris Seelbach (Warning: contains strong language).

The note said that one of Leelah's biggest motivations for committing suicide was her parents' lack of support.

"I immediately told my mom," the note said of Leelah's realization that she was transgender, "and she reacted extremely negatively, telling me that it was a phase, that I would never truly be a girl, that God doesn't make mistakes, that I am wrong."

"If you are reading this, parents, please don't tell this to your kids," the note continued. "That won't do anything but make them hate them self. (sic)"

Leelah's mom told CNN that it was true she did not support her child's gender identity, but insisted that she still loved her child, using male pronouns.

"We don't support that, religiously," Alcorn's mom told CNN, "But we told him that we loved him unconditionally. We loved him no matter what. I loved my son. People need to know that I loved him. He was a good kid, a good boy."

She also said in that interview that she recalls her teen asking for gender transitioning treatment, but she gave finances as the reason they would not allow it.

"On my 16th birthday, when I didn't receive consent from my parents to start transitioning, I cried myself to sleep," the note read.

The note ended with a plea to "Fix society." It has been widely shared and sparked an outpouring of support for Leelah.

Alcorn's mom said that she and her husband have endured hateful messages directed at them. She also said the family has been unable to hold services for the teen for fear of protesters.

If a friend or loved one expresses thoughts of suicide, seek help. You can reach the National Suicide Prevention help line at 800-273-TALK (8255).