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NextImg:Texas Girl, 11, Was Subjected To Bullying, Other Possible Abuse Before Suicide, School Says
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An investigation into an 11-year-old Texas girl’s death by suicide earlier this month has confirmed that the child was impacted by a recent bullying incident, school officials said Wednesday while releasing additional disturbing new claims cited to interviews with fellow students.

In a heart-wrenching story that made national news, Jocelynn Rojo Carranza died on Feb. 8 from self-inflicted injuries in Dallas after she was bullied at school over her Hispanic heritage and taunted that her family would be deported, according to her mother.

Marbella Carranza, speaking with Univision, said her daughter had been seeing a school counselor several times a week about the bullying but said the school never told her about Jocelynn’s sessions until after her death.

In a summary of findings released after an internal investigation, the Gainesville Independent School District disputed Carranza’s claim that she wasn’t made aware of her daughter’s counseling sessions. The district also alleged, based on interviews with other students, that Jocelynn may have battled personal issues at home, including being “inappropriately touched” by a family member.

Carranza, speaking to NBC DFW after the district released its findings, said “nothing about that is true.”

“I talk with my daughter about that, always. I ask. Nobody can touch your body. Nobody,” said Carranza.

The Gainesville Police Department said in a statement Wednesday that its investigation into Jocelynn’s death remains ongoing and that anyone with information is encouraged to reach out.

“We understand the community’s desire for answers,” said Chief Kevin Phillips. “However, to maintain the integrity of the investigation, we are unable to release further details at this time. We assure the public that every aspect of this case is being carefully examined.”

Jocelynn Rojo Carranza died on Feb. 8 from self-inflicted injuries after she was bullied at school over her Hispanic heritage, her mother said.
Jocelynn Rojo Carranza died on Feb. 8 from self-inflicted injuries after she was bullied at school over her Hispanic heritage, her mother said.
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According to a timeline presented by the Gainesville Independent School District, Jocelynn had been seeing a school counselor on and off since October, sessions the district says her mother had signed off on. The sessions weren’t about bullying and instead were about her home life and emotional “coping strategies,” according to the school district.

It wasn’t until Jan. 30 that Jocelynn reported bullying to her school’s principal, the district said. Her report immediately followed her class collectively discussing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has increasingly been in the news and has drummed up fear within migrant communities over its mass deportations of undocumented immigrations.

Jocelynn said another student on her school bus had made remarks about ICE and deportation to a group of Hispanic students. An investigation concluded that a student had indeed made such remarks, though not directly to Jocelynn, who was reportedly seated within earshot of those being targeted on the bus, the district said.

The incident “was not a one-time occurrence,” and the student responsible was identified, interviewed and disciplined on Friday, Jan. 31, in accordance with the GISD Student Code of Conduct, the district said.

The following Monday, Feb. 3, Jocelynn was rushed to a hospital after being found suffering an undisclosed injury at home. The district said it launched an internal investigation three days later after hearing claims from other students that Jocelynn and her brother had been bullied.

Further interviews with students revealed additional disturbing claims, including that Jocelynn had told her classmates that she had been “inappropriately touched” by a family member “and wished to keep this a secret to avoid getting them in trouble,” the district said.

The district said it reported the abuse claims to Child Protective Services “given the presence of four other school-aged children in the home.”

Other students coming forward also said Jocelynn had expressed thoughts of self-harm to a cousin and that the cousin had informed Jocelynn’s mother. The district said it wasn’t told about the threats of self-harm at the time, “preventing the district from providing necessary resources and intervention.”

As for the counseling sessions, the district said that Jocelynn had requested a one-on-one meeting with the school’s counselor on Oct. 16, during which she expressed concerns about getting into trouble at home and her siblings calling her names. She reportedly didn’t report any bullying at this time.

About a week later, she started participating in a social-emotional learning group being led by a counselor, attending these sessions twice in October, twice in November, and three times in January, the district said.

“The sessions, consisting of five female students, focused on coping strategies for managing distressing emotions. Topics included reframing thoughts, relaxation techniques, focused breathing, and separating emotions from rational thoughts,” according to the district.

The district said it has a signed permission slip from Jocelynn’s mother authorizing her daughter’s involvement in the counseling. In her interview with NBC DFW, Carranza said she has demanded to see the document.

The district said it refrained from speaking out publicly while Jocelynn was hospitalized and in the immediate days after her death in compliance with her family’s wishes.

“During this time, false statements circulated on social media regarding the district’s silence. Now that the district investigation is complete, GISD is sharing the findings,” it said.

If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at dontcallthepolice.com. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention.