Her mother claims that her daughter, who was 11 years old and lived in Texas, took her own life earlier this month after being bullied for an extended period of time regarding the immigration status of her family.
At the residence she shared with her family in Gainesville, a small city situated a few miles south of the Oklahoma border, Jocelynn Rojo Carranza committed suicide on February 3rd, resulting in her death.
According to a GoFundMe page that was established by the girl’s father while she was still alive, the girl’s condition appeared to fluctuate intermittently for a period of time as the medical staff at an intensive care unit in a Dallas hospital made adjustments to her treatment plan. However, Jocelynn passed away gradually over the course of the subsequent days, and she finally succumbed to her injuries on February 8th.
After the passing of his daughter, Ernesto Alonso Rojo expressed his sorrow by saying, “This helplessness hurts my soul and it is not easy for me or for any of her relatives who were present in her life as a child and knowing that she is no longer with us breaks my heart into pieces.” This statement was made in a series of updates to the fundraising. Despite the fact that my heart and soul are on the verge of passing away, I have no choice but to carry on for the sake of myself and my other little angels.
The girl’s aunt also created a separate GoFundMe campaign for the girl’s cause.
Gainesville Intermediate School is a school for fifth and sixth graders located around 70 miles north of Dallas, according to statements made by the girl’s mother, Marbella Carranza, to Univision. The girl’s death occurred after months of months of constant mocking by her peers in the sixth grade at Gainesville Intermediate School.
The girl’s mother told the network that the bullying was caused by the girl’s Hispanic background, and that it culminated in threats from other kids that they would call Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on her parents. According to her mother, Jocelynn went to counseling between once and twice a week by the time she passed away as a result of the bullying she had endured.
Other kids made fun of the girl by joking that she would have to live by herself when her parents were deported, according to her mother, who also mentioned that this occurred throughout the bullying incidents.
“I waited for a miracle that my daughter would be well for an entire week, but unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done,” the mother who was mourning with her daughter stated. The love that I have for my daughter will never end, and she will always be my little girl.
At this time, the family of the girl is demanding that a thorough investigation be conducted into the horrible circumstances that led to Jocelynn’s untimely death.
“This incident is still being actively investigated, so I am unable to comment on the investigation at this time,” expressed a spokesman for the Gainesville Police Department to Law&Crime. “I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Additionally, the Gainesville Independent School District Police Department is conducting an investigation into the “bullying allegations,” according to the police department.
We attempted to get in touch with the police department of ISD in order to obtain further information regarding this story; however, at the time of publication, they did not provide any quick comment.
On Valentine’s Day, the school district itself recognized Jocelynn’s passing by sending a letter to “GISD families” that noted her passing.
It is with deep regret that we must notify you of a loss that has occurred within our school community, as stated in the letter. It was announced this week that a Gainesville Intermediate student had passed away. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with the student’s family during this trying time.
In the letter, the school district continues by saying:
- Our entire school, and especially our kids, will undoubtedly experience a wide range of feelings, concerns, and questions as a result of this great loss. We strongly suggest that you discuss this information with your family as a unit because you are the ones who know your child the best. Describe how your family understands and deals with loss, as well as how your student can be a helpful friend to peers. You may also wish to discuss how your family deals with grief. An opportunity for pupils to have their voices heard and to communicate their emotions is the single most critical thing that they require at this time.
The Gainesville Independent School District was contacted for further comment on this article. The school system issued a statement in response, which included their anti-bullying policies.
Full text of the statement is as follows:
In the Gainesville Independent School District, the most important thing is to make sure that every student has access to a secure and pleasant learning environment. As a result of this, we have a policy of zero tolerance for any reports of bullying that are made at our schools, and we take these reports extremely seriously.
At the moment that we receive a report of bullying, we immediately take action to guarantee that all of the students are protected both physically and emotionally. Despite the fact that we are unable to disclose any information regarding particular students or occurrences, our schools have implemented a number of rules to combat bullying and successfully settle conflicts.
In accordance with these policies, opportunities to report such activity are provided. Immediately following the receipt of a report, the District will take all of the necessary procedures to respond in an appropriate manner. In our efforts to ensure that our schools are safe, secure, and free from harassment, we have been proactive in our efforts, and we will continue to be aggressive in our efforts.
In her statements to Univision, Jocelynn’s mother highlighted the administration’s response to the bullying that occurred at the school.
According to her, “It appears that the school was aware of it, but they never informed me of the news.”
There is instant assistance available at the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which can be reached at 988, if you or someone you know is going through mental distress or taking into consideration hurting yourself.
