Honk News (Gainesville, TX) – A Texas school district has revealed troubling details about an 11-year-old girl who took her own life after facing bullying related to her family’s immigration status. Friends reported that she had confided in them about being inappropriately touched by a family member.
Jocelyn Rojo Carranza was discovered unresponsive in her family’s home in Gainesville on February 3 and passed away in the hospital after five days of intensive care.
Marbella Carranza, the mother of the little girl, stated that her daughter faced bullying from students at Gainesville Intermediate School. She mentioned that they ridiculed her due to her family’s immigration status and warned her about contacting Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Gainesville Independent School District has started an investigation and confirmed that a student on Carranza’s bus made remarks about ICE and deportation to a group of Hispanic students, which the girl could hear, according to the findings.
Carranza informed her principal about the incident on January 30 when the subject of ICE was discussed again in class, according to the district. The district discovered that this was not an isolated incident and stated that the student faced disciplinary action.
Following Carranza’s hospitalization the next week, students reported to school officials that the girl and one of her brothers had been bullied, prompting the investigation.
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Students reported to administrators about Carranza’s troubling allegations of abuse, which she requested they keep confidential.
The district discovered that the girl had earlier shared thoughts of self-harm with her cousin, who reportedly informed Carranza’s mother. Additionally, she mentioned to a counselor in October that she was facing issues at home and was being called names by her siblings.
The district stated that it would have offered support had it been aware of Carranza’s intentions to harm herself. They also mentioned that she took part in a social-emotional learning group, with her mother’s consent.