Nex Benedict: Autopsy confirms non-binary teen died from self-inflicted injuries and not fight with bullies
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
TULSA, OKLAHOMA: The Owasso Police Department announced on Facebook that Nex Benedict, a nonbinary teen, committed suicide after a fight at school. One day following a brawl at Oklahoma's Owasso High School, Nex Benedict passed away on February 8.
The death of the 16-year-old high school sophomore, who identified as LGBTQ+ and used the pronouns they/them, has brought attention to the nation's rising rate of anti-LGBTQ+ violence and bullying.
Death of Nex Benedict was not attributed to trauma
The Owasso Police Department wrote in the Facebook post, “From the beginning of this investigation, Owasso Police observed many indications that this death was the result of suicide."
The post further read, “However, investigators did not wish to confirm that information without the final results being presented by the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office.”
The teenager was accosted and harassed by other students in the school bathroom on February 7 which left head injuries. Later that day, Benedict was sent to a nearby hospital on the advice of the school nurse.
According to video obtained by ABC News, Benedict told the police what transpired inside the bathroom while they were at the hospital.
Benedict disclosed that they engaged in physical combat with some girls who were harassing them after they threw water at them, during which time Nex claimed they "blacked out."
The teenager passed away the next day. The Owasso Police Department declared at the time that the death was 'not a result of trauma'.
According to the authorities, “preliminary information from the medical examiner’s office,” served as the basis for the assessment.
Owasso High School students showed support to LGBTQ+ community
News on 6 said that the Benedict family issued a statement following Benedict's passing via their attorney, Jason Biby.
"The Benedicts know all too well the devastating effects of bullying and school violence and pray for meaningful change wherein bullying is taken seriously and no family has to deal with another preventable tragedy," said the statement.
"Notwithstanding, the family is independently interviewing witnesses and collecting all available evidence," the family said, per News on 6.
It further stated, "The Benedict Family calls on all school, local, state and national officials to join forces to determine why this happened, to hold those responsible to account and to ensure it never happens again."
According to ABC News, Owasso High School students honored Benedict on February 25 by leaving their classrooms to show support for the school's LGBTQ+ community. In Benedict's memory, a GoFundMe was also launched.
Numerous memorial vigils were conducted around the nation two weeks after Benedict's passing. In addition, more than 350 advocacy organizations and LGBTQ+ activists demanded that Ryan Walters, the state superintendent of Oklahoma, be fired right away.
Internet reacted to news of Nex Benedict's suicide
As soon as word spread that Benedict had committed suicide, online users expressed their outrage over the autopsy results on social media.
A user wrote, "I wouldn't trust Oklahoma to get "justice" for anyone but a white guy, let alone a trans teen considering the recent regressive, anti-women and anti-lgbt laws they've pushed through or want to push through.'
Another user added, "Suicide as a result of bullying. "Think of the children" my a**, this child was failed."
The third commentator remarked, "I’m hopeful Nex’s family gets an independent autopsy, outside of Oklahoma. If it was indeed suicide, the school officials like Ryan, the punk ass attackers, and the school admin staff are still culpable for not protecting Nex. That kid wasn’t just traumatized by one bad experience with bullies, this harassment has been going on for months."
"Apparently Nex’s death was a suicide. The school still needs to investigate Nex being assaulted. It is unacceptable to have a school where students can be assaulted," fourth user concluded demanding investigation.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
