UTAH (ABC4) – The Davis School District has announced that it will launch an independent investigation into the bullying incidents surrounding the suicide of 10-year-old Izzy Tichenor.
Izzy, a student at Foxboro Elementary, committed suicide after her mother, Brittany Tichenor, said her daughter was often reportedly the target of bullying as a person of color living with autism and dyslexia
In a statement, the Davis School District said:
“The death of Izzy is tragic and devastating. Our hearts continue to be with the family, friends, and community
who are grieving this loss. The well-being of our students will always be a priority, and we are committed to
preventing this from happening in the future. As part of this commitment, we will be bringing in an independent investigation to look further into this and review our handling of critical issues, such as bullying, to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all students. We also want to provide resources to our students and community who may be struggling with this loss. The tragedy of suicide can be far-reaching, and it’s not uncommon to feel grief for the loss of someone you have never met, especially if there’s a feeling of shared commonality. We want to encourage parents to stay connected to their kids, especially during this time, and talk with them about their mental health and well-being. Feelings of depression, bullying, harassment, vulnerable living situations, feelings of isolation, and addictions are significant problems for children and youth. The district has trained licensed therapists available to talk to and process these feelings and help parents facilitate these conversations.“
As of Friday afternoon, a GoFundMe fundraiser has raised more than $131,973 for the family
Izzy’s death comes close to a month after the U.S. Department of Justice reached a settlement with the Davis School District for their “persistent failures to respond to reports of race-based harassment of Black and Asian-American students by district staff and other students.”
