13 March 2024 , 21:42
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A bullied gender-fluid teen's death has been confirmed as suicide by an autopsy report after police reported they did not die from head injuries sustained when allegedly beaten in a high school bathroom.
Nex Benedict, 16 sustained multiple injuries after the alleged assault in their High School toilets, and died just days later in what has now been ruled as a suicide. According to an autopsy report from the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office that has been released tonight, Nex died from a concoction of drugs.
The ''placid'' teenager lost their life earlier this month, a day after they and another student were badly beaten, left with with bruises over their face and eyes and scratches to the back of their head. Nex died in hospital less than 24 hours after they were brutally attacked along with a trans student, understood to be a friend.
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People attended a candlelight vigil for 16-year-old nonbinary student Nex Benedict in Oklahoma City (Getty Images)Nex was discharged from their initial hospital visit but on their return home, walked into the sitting room and collapsed on the floor less than a day later, and later died in hospital.
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The alleged attack happened at Owasso High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on February 7. Police investigating the death say no 911 call was made by the school, who have so far refused to comment. Nex's Grandmother and legal guardian claimed that Nex was bullied for being gender fluid and was set upon by the girls during a break in the bathroom. She described them as a straight-A student, an animal lover and a talented cook.
"I was so proud of Nex - they were going some place, they were so free," she said. But saying she told the student to rise above the taunts, she told the Independent : “I said ‘you’ve got to be strong and look the other way, because these people don’t know who you are’. I didn’t know how bad it had gotten.”
Ms Benedict said she was angry that the school had failed to call an ambulance or the police. The bullying had started at the beginning of the 2023 school year, she claimed. In a statement, the Owasso Police Department said they were “conducting a very active and thorough investigation of the time and events that led up to the death of the student”.
Detectives are currently interviewing witnesses to the alleged beating and said: "The Owasso Police Department will release all information required by law, but it is the Department's policy to not release incident reports for cases that are under active investigation when there is risk of compromising or harming the investigation.
"We understand that people are concerned about this incident and we can assure everyone that this incident is being taken seriously and is being investigated thoroughly. The Owasso Police Department offers our condolences to the family, friends, fellow students, and loved ones of the deceased student and we will do our best to discover the truth."
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email [email protected], visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.