Dagny Benedict: Bullied non-binary student assaulted at school downplayed extent of injuries before death

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

OWASSO, OKLAHOMA: Dagny Benedict, a bullied 16-year-old non-binary student from Oklahoma who succumbed to injuries sustained during a brutal school bathroom altercation, had downplayed the extent of her injuries in texts sent to a family member.

On the fateful day, Benedict sent a distressing series of texts to a family member, recounting the brutal attack by a group of girls. "I got jumped at school, 3 on 1, had to go to ER," the teen wrote on February 7, as reported by Fox 23.

Bullied teen initially downplays injuries after school assault

Despite initially downplaying the severity of the injuries, expressing, "All good, just scraped and bruises," the teen admitted to lingering symptoms, including dizziness and nausea, possibly indicating a concussion.

The confrontation stemmed from relentless harassment at school, with Benedict revealing, "They had been bullying me and my friends, and I got tired of it, so I poured some water on them, and all 3 came after me. School did not report it and is probably going to be getting sued," according to the texts.

Tragically, Benedict, who had previously been subjected to repeated bullying due to their gender identity, was released from the hospital on the same day but collapsed the following morning and was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Witnesses describe allegedly brutal assault in school brawl

Benedict's mother expressed shock at the extent of the bullying, stating, "I didn't know how bad it had gotten." The school and local police are currently investigating whether her death directly resulted from the fight or was due to an unrelated condition.

Amidst the controversy, conflicting reports emerged about the duration of the fight and the school's response. The district claimed the fight lasted two minutes and was promptly broken up by a student and a teacher.

However, some accounts, including one from the mother of Benedict's friend involved in the brawl, suggested a more severe assault, stating the assailants were "beating her head across the floor."

As the tragic story gained widespread attention, a vigil has been scheduled to commemorate Benedict's life on Sunday. A GoFundMe campaign for the family surpassed $94,000, as of Thursday.