An 11-year-old girl in Texas died by suicide after allegedly being bullied by her classmates over her family’s immigration status—who reportedly went so far as to threaten to call the authorities on her parents.
Jocelynn Rojo Carranza, who played the French Horn, loved to swim, and enjoyed Friday movie nights with her family, died in hospital at the Medical City of Dallas on Feb. 8 according to an online obituary. Her mother, Marbella Carranza, found her unresponsive in their home in Gainesville, Texas five days prior.
“All week I’ve been waiting for a miracle; waiting for my daughter to get better,” Marbella told CNN affiliate KUVN. “But unfortunately there was nothing that could be done.” Jocelynn’s funeral was held Wednesday morning.
A student of Gainesville Intermediate School, Jocelynn was allegedly bullied by her classmates who said “they were going to call immigration so they could take her parents away and she would be left alone,” according to her mother. She did not comment on the family’s immigration status during her interview with KUVN.
“It appears the school was aware of it all, but they never, they never told me what was happening with my daughter,” Marbella continued, noting that she learned Jocelynn was attending counseling sessions at the school after investigators informed her. “It appears she would go once or twice a week to counseling to report what was happening.”
“[I want] justice because it’s not fair,” she added. “The school was negligent for not keeping me informed of what was going on with my daughter.”
In a statement to the Daily Beast, Gainesville Intermediate School wrote: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of one of our students, and our hearts go out to their family, friends, and the entire Gainesville community during this incredibly difficult time.
“At Gainesville ISD, the safety and well-being of our students are our highest priority. While we cannot comment on specific student matters due to privacy laws, we want to emphasize that we take all reports of bullying and student safety concerns very seriously.
“Our district follows strict protocols for investigating any allegations, and we are committed to fostering a safe and supportive environment for every student.”
The Gainesville Independent School District Police is currently investigating the bullying allegations, according to CNN.
The area’s Independent School District also told the outlet in a statement: “Whenever we receive a report of bullying, we respond swiftly to ensure all students are safe physically and emotionally. While we cannot release any information about specific students or incidents, our schools have several policies in place to combat bullying and resolve conflicts.”
Since assuming office, President Donald Trump has proudly launched one of the heftiest migrant crackdowns in recent years. Citing detention data from the ICE, NBC News reports that the already large number of people detained by the agency jumped from 39,238 in early February to 41,149 by mid-February. The president has also touted deporting the “worst criminal aliens” to a detention center in Guantanamo Bay.
