Texas girl who died by suicide told others about bullying, inappropriate touching

DALLAS – The Dallas Morning News reports the 11-year-old Texas girl who died by suicide was bullied and told others she was touched “inappropriately,” according to an investigation conducted by Gainesville school officials. Jocelynn Rojo Carranza died on Feb. 8 after being hospitalized in Dallas for five days. The girl’s family said after Jocelynn’s death, they learned she was bullied with classmates threatening to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, on her parents. Her death drew national attention with her parents saying school staff knew about the bullying but didn’t tell the family. Gainesville schools Superintendent DesMontes Stewart issued a summary of findings late Wednesday. He noted that the district alerted authorities about concerns from the investigation and that he met with the girl’s family to discuss the findings.

The girl’s family members could not immediately be reached for comment. The Dallas Morning News reached out to Jocelynn parents and other relatives via phone calls and text messages late Wednesday. Stewart’s statement noted that district officials refrained from public statements in recent weeks at the request of the family. He said during a radio interview last week that the girl did not report being bullied. In Wednesday’s summary of findings, he noted that “false statements circulated on social media” in recent weeks. “Gainesville ISD takes the safety and well-being of all students, faculty, and staff very seriously,” he wrote. “We remain committed to addressing concerns swiftly and consistently.” Many in the small community northwest of Dallas — and nationwide — demanded “Justice for Jocelynn.” The girl’s mother previously said she didn’t know that Jocelynn was seeing a school counselor. Stewart laid out a timeline of events, noting that officials only learned that Jocelynn was bullied after she was hospitalized in early February. Officials had previously known — and dealt with — bullying of others that she reported, according to the district.