Nex Benedict: Death of non-binary student ruled a suicide by medical examiner
Nex Benedict, who used they/them pronouns and did not identify as male or female, died a day after getting into an altercation with three girls inside a school toilet.
Thursday 14 March 2024 11:19, UK
The death of a 16-year-old non-binary student who died after a fight inside a school toilet has been ruled a suicide.
Nex Benedict, who used they/them pronouns, died a day after getting into an altercation with three girls in a bathroom at Owasso High School in Oklahoma.
Family members said Nex had been bullied at school and the teenager's death last month drew concern from LGBT+ rights groups, and attention from the White House.
The cause of death was revealed in a summary post-mortem examination report released by the state medical examiner's office.
It said Nex had toxic levels of two drugs in their system and died of an overdose.
A complete post-mortem examination will be released in 10 days in accordance with state law, it added.
Police bodycam footage released last month hours after the school fight on 7 February showed Nex lying in a hospital bed.
In the video, Nex told police officers they threw water from a plastic bottle at the three girls after they began picking on them and a friend because of the way they dressed.
The student said the girls then "came at me". "They grabbed on to my hair. I grabbed on to them. I threw one of them into a paper towel dispenser and then they got my legs out from under me and got me on the ground."
The teenager said they were then beaten and blacked out.
"From the beginning of this investigation, Owasso police observed many indications that this death was the result of suicide," Owasso Police Department Lieutenant Nick Boatman said in a statement.
"However, investigators did not wish to confirm that information without the final results being presented by the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office."
Mr Boatman would not confirm whether or not police found a note from Nex at the scene.
The student's legal guardian, Sue Benedict, has raised concerns about the handling of the case and the fact the school did not call the police or an ambulance.
She told The Independent the teenager had been bullied since the start of the 2023 school year.
Ms Benedict added that Nex "did not see themselves as male or female. Nex saw themselves right down the middle".
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The case has led to a civil rights investigation by the US Department of Education to determine if any laws were broken or whether the school district failed to respond to harassment.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in February she was "absolutely heartbroken" over Nex's death.
"Every young person deserves to feel safe and supported at school," she added.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email [email protected] in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK