The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s Office on Wednesday released autopsy results concluding that a 16-year-old non-binary student at Owasso High School died by suicide, The New York Times reported.
Nex Benedict died a day after getting into a physical fight in the girls’ bathroom at her school, The New York Times reported. report. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was a deadly mixture of diphenhydramine, an allergy drug, and fluoxetine, a depression drug.
The teenager’s death initially sparked strong backlash from gay and transgender rights groups, who pointed to allegations of bullying at school. This has brought more attention to the safety and mental health of students with similar issues.
The fight occurred on February 7, but it was initially unclear whether it was the cause of Benedict’s death, The New York Times reported. The paper said police reports said Benedict lost consciousness during the fight, but authorities later confirmed that injuries from the fight did not directly lead to Benedict’s death. In the aftermath of the incident, police clarified their position, with Detective Inspector Nick Boatman initially expressing suspicion that Benedict had committed suicide.
Nex Benedict: Nonbinary teen commits suicide, autopsy reveals https://t.co/Q3ZrSO7sRV
— FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) March 14, 2024
“From the beginning of the investigation, the Owasso Police Department observed numerous indicators that this death was a suicide,” Boatman said in a statement, as reported by the New York Times. “However, investigators did not want to confirm that information without being presented with final results from the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s Office.” (Related: ‘Stabbed with a Pencil’: Lawsuit claims student bullied for political beliefs)
The autopsy results have led to renewed debate about the challenges faced by transgender and non-binary students, especially in places where their identities are debated and affected by law, the newspaper reported. Owasso High School reportedly offered counseling to students and staff in the aftermath of Benedict’s death. Superintendent Margaret Coates spoke of Benedict’s shared grief and the emotional impact such an event had on everyone involved with the student, The New York Times reported.
“The loss of Nex, a member of the Lamb family and the Owasso community, is devastating,” Margaret Coates, the school’s superintendent, said in a statement, according to the New York Times. “We understand that the information released today may cause new thoughts, feelings, and emotions for our students, faculty, and staff.”
