The mom of an 11-year-old girl is looking for answers after her daughter’s death was ruled a suicide after she was found unresponsive in a bathroom at her school.
Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez, 11, is reported to have taken her own life after allegedly being bullied, a conclusion her mother Elaina LoAlbo isn’t ready to accept, according to NewsNation.
The girl attended sixth grade at FW Holbein School in New Jersey. Another student found Felicia unconscious on 6 February in a bathroom and she was declared dead after being taken to a hospital, school officials and police have said, per NewsNation.
The Philadelphia medical examiner conducted an autopsy, finding that the manner of death was suicide and that the cause of death was complications from suicide, according to the Daily Voice.
Ms LoAlbo told NewsNation on Wednesday that she wants to see security footage from the school, which she hasn’t been allowed to do.
“She showed no signs of self-harm,” she told the network. “She was an advocate for herself and for everybody else. Until I have some kind of proof that she was alone, I have no reason to think that she could have done this to herself.”
The mother said her daughter had been bullied for years and that she had made school staff aware.
“She had written dozens of emails to them. They were fully aware that she was being bullied,” the mother said. “They were supposed to switch her classes after winter break come January. She was supposed to switch classes because of the bullying.”
Shortly before her death, the 11-year-old’s father, Transit Detective Alexis Melendez, had passed away from cancer, according to the New York Post.
Ms LoAlbo shared one of the emails her daughter had written about the loss with Fox News Digital.
“I was watching TV and thinking about the things in my life that have happened to me. Then, I got a great idea!” Felicia wrote. “Instead of a drama club, it would be a Trama [sic] club! Trama [sic] is not a light subject to talk about, but I believe that having somewhere that people can go to, destress and let out all of their feelings and emotions.”
She said a “room that is not too big but not too small” would be needed along with some chairs, adding that she would be willing to set it up.
“I hope that this does happen,” Felicia wrote. “I, for one, have heard from my friends and others about things that have happened to them and I think this would be a fantastic thing. Have a great night.”
Ms LoAlbo told Fox News Digital her “daughter has been advocating against bullying since kindergarten, when she was told to color herself with a brown crayon” and “believed she was golden. That mommy was white and daddy was brown … She started standing up for herself and others since then.”
On Facebook, Ms LoAlbo posted a voice note from 2021 in which Felicia says “unless you’re me, well you’re listening to this from the future”.
“Say hello to future mom, future dad... future everyone. Never, never never be bad, never give up on your friends, never, ever... be a bully,” she added.
Robert Mungo, the school district superintendent, told the New York Post that his office “cooperated fully, including providing surveillance footage and all documents related to the investigation”.
“The district has never turned down any request for information or footage pertaining to the investigation from any authorized individual,” he added. “Our district suffered a loss, which continues to weigh heavily on the school community. School counselors and administrators, with the support of the Burlington County School Crisis Response Team, have and will continue to increase outreach to students and staff and are prepared to aid them in processing this latest information as they continue to grieve.”
The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office said the footage would be shared with Ms Loalbo.
A spokesperson told the paper the Post that “it was previously communicated that we would accommodate her request to view the school surveillance recording at the appropriate time, but not while the criminal investigation was ongoing. The investigation has concluded, and arrangements will be made in the near future for Ms. LoAlbo to be shown the footage.”
Ms LoAlbo told NewsNation that “it’s been nine weeks and all I really want is some answers from these detectives so I can start the process of moving forward.”
She added that following the death of Felicia’s father, “selfishly, I wanted her to stay home and go get a pedicure and all of that, and she told me that she had missed too much school, she had missed too much play practice and wanted to go see her friends”.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
