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The '''Death of Nex Benedict''' occurred on February 8, 2024, a day after they were assaulted in an [[Owasso High School]] women's restroom by three other students. '''Nex Benedict''' was a 16-year-old American high school student from [[Owasso, Oklahoma]] and was [[Non-binary gender|non-binary]]. |
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==Victim== |
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Nex Benedict was a 16-year-old American student who died after reportedly being beaten in the women's restroom at [[Owasso High School]] in [[Owasso, Oklahoma]].<ref name="AdvocateWiggins20Feb">{{Cite web |title=Oklahoma transgender student dies after assault at school |url=https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-student-death-raichik-walters |access-date=February 21, 2024 |website=www.advocate.com |language=en |date=February 20, 2024 |last=Wiggins |first=Christopher}}</ref><ref name="IndependentHurley20Feb">{{Cite web |date=February 20, 2024 |title=Oklahoma banned trans students from bathrooms. Now a bullied student is dead |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/nex-benedict-dead-oklahoma-b2499332.html |access-date=February 21, 2024 |website=The Independent |language=en |last=Hurley |first=Bevan}}</ref> Benedict, who was [[Non-binary gender|non-binary]], had previously been bullied at school.<ref name="LABladeLevesque19Feb">{{cite news |url=https://www.losangelesblade.com/2024/02/19/oklahoma-non-binary-high-schooler-dies-after-physical-altercation/ |title=Oklahoma non-binary high schooler dies after physical altercation |last=Levesque |first=Brody |date=February 19, 2024 |work=[[Los Angeles Blade]] |access-date=February 21, 2024}}</ref> |
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==Death== |
==Death== |
Revision as of 02:18, 21 February 2024
The Death of Nex Benedict occurred on February 8, 2024, a day after they were assaulted in an Owasso High School women's restroom by three other students. Nex Benedict was a 16-year-old American high school student from Owasso, Oklahoma and was non-binary.
Victim
Nex Benedict was a 16-year-old American student who died after reportedly being beaten in the women's restroom at Owasso High School in Owasso, Oklahoma.[1][2] Benedict, who was non-binary, had previously been bullied at school.[3]
Death
On February 7, 2024, Benedict reportedly received severe head injuries during an assault in a toilet at Owasso High School.[2] According to Benedict's grandmother, Sue Benedict, the school did not call an ambulance or the police.[2] Sue took Nex to a nearby hospital for treatment,[2] where she summoned the Owasso Police Department at around 3.30pm.[3] Nex was discharged later that day, and reportedly went to sleep with a sore head.[2] The following day, on February 8, as they were preparing to travel with their grandmother for an appointment, Nex collapsed in the family's living room. An ambulance was called, and Nex had stopped breathing by the time EMT officers had arrived.[2] Nex was declared dead in hospital that evening.[2]
In a statement to The Advocate, Dan Yancy the Owasso Police Department Chief said that "no report of the incident was made to the Owasso Police Department prior to the notification at the hospital."[1] Investigations by the Owasso Police Department to determine the events that lead to Benedict's death are ongoing, As of 20 February 2024 police are awaiting toxicology and autopsy results from the local medical examiner's office before determining whether anyone will be charged.[2]
Reactions
While Benedict's cause of death has not yet been determined to have been caused by the attack, some groups have described the reported attack that preceded their death as a hate crime.[2][4]
In a letter to parents, Owasso Public Schools said it would be increasing the number of security personnel within the district, as well as updating their safety drills and rules. They will also be providing counselling services for students affected by the death.[5][6][7]
The ACLU issued a statement linking the attack on Benedict with Oklahoma Senate Bill 615, a law passed by the State of Oklahoma that required multi-occupation toilets to be "exclusive use of either the male or the female sex, as designated on individuals' original birth certificates".[8]
LGBT activists and advocacy groups have linked the death to hateful rhetoric spread by Chaya Raichik on her Libs of TikTok social media accounts, including an event in which a video featuring one of Benedict's teachers was shared by Raichik, with their death.[2][9][5] This comes in the wake of Raichik's appointment to the Oklahoma Department of Education's Library Media Advisory Committee by Ryan Walters, the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction, in January 2024.[2][9]
References
- ^ a b Wiggins, Christopher (February 20, 2024). "Oklahoma transgender student dies after assault at school". www.advocate.com. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Hurley, Bevan (February 20, 2024). "Oklahoma banned trans students from bathrooms. Now a bullied student is dead". The Independent. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ a b Levesque, Brody (February 19, 2024). "Oklahoma non-binary high schooler dies after physical altercation". Los Angeles Blade. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "Rest in power nex benedict". Freedom Oklahoma. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ a b Shuttleworth, Catherine (February 20, 2024). "Thousands raised for non-binary teenager beaten to death at school". indy100. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "Owasso Public Schools addresses school safety measures". FOX23 News. February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ Villarreal, Daniel (February 20, 2024). "Teen beaten to death in a school bathroom bullying attack. The school didn't call an ambulance". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "Response to Death of Nex Benedict From Bridge v. Oklahoma State Board of Education Legal Team". American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ a b Monteil, Abby (February 20, 2024). "Nonbinary Teen Nex Benedict Dies After Being Attacked By Peers in a School Bathroom". Retrieved February 21, 2024.