The school in the US has confirmed that 11-year-old Jocelynn Rojo Carranza, who allegedly died by suicide last month, was sexually abused by a family member. The investigation by the Gainesville Independent School District began after there were reports of her being bullied by her schoolmates over her immigration status.
Jocelynn’s mother, however, denied the findings.
“Nothing about that is true,” said Marbella Carranza.
Ms Carranza said that she had always talked with her daughter about the topic of sexual abuse and told the 11-year-old that no one could touch her body. Ms Carranza mentioned that she has hired a lawyer and is waiting for the district’s response.
Earlier, Ms Carranza claimed that her daughter took her life because she was being mocked in her school because of the family’s immigration status. Her classmates had threatened to call the Immigration and Customs Department (ICE).
Ms Carranza informed the principal that a student on her school bus made comments about ICE and deportation to a group of Hispanic children, which was confirmed by the bus driver. He said Jocelynn Rojo wasn’t part of the discussion but was close enough to hear.
Later, on February 4, Jocelynn Rojo was admitted to the hospital and died a few days later. Ms Carranza blamed the school for her daughter’s death. She said she wanted justice because the school was negligent in not informing her about what was happening with her daughter.
It was then that students came forward and told school officials that Jocelynn Rojo and one of her brothers had been sexually abused by a family member. She had requested secrecy from them.
Superintendent DesMontes Stewart said, “Multiple students reported it that [Jocelynn Rojo] told them that she had been inappropriately touched by a family member and wished to keep this a secret to avoid getting them in trouble.”
Additionally, the district found out that Jocelynn Rojo had previously told her cousin about her intentions of harming herself.
However, Ms Carranza stated that she was not informed that her daughter was getting therapy.
Jocelynn Rojo died by suicide on February 8, five days after her mother found her unresponsive at their home.
(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)
