TRAGIC

North Carolina Middle Schooler Found Dead on Campus

The eighth-grader reportedly died of suspected suicide on the same day local school board members met to discuss suicide awareness.

Students at a North Carolina middle school were sent home early Tuesday after an eighth-grader was found dead on campus. Wake County school officials initially said a “medical crisis” at Wendell Middle School had led to the early release, but Principal Catherine Trudell later notified parents of the eighth-grader’s death, according to local reports. She did not disclose a cause of death, but the News & Observer reported that a local church whose pastors visited the school said the boy, who has not been identified, had died of an apparent suicide. Members of the Wake County school board also reportedly referenced the incident at a planned presentation on suicide awareness that took place the same day the student was found, according to the Observer. “Some of our schools are getting some unique challenges this week,” board chairwoman Lindsay Mahaffey was quoted saying, adding that she was choosing to be “intentionally vague” about what she was referencing. Another board member reportedly said she thought about removing references to September being Suicide Prevention Month from her presentation after what happened, but decided to keep them in.

If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. You can also text or dial 988.