President Joe Biden on Thursday mourned the death of Nex Benedict, a nonbinary Oklahoma teen who committed suicide after an argument with another student.
As reported by the Associated Press, Dagny Benedict, who went by the name Nex, died by suicide with a toxic drug mixture the day after he apparently got into a scuffle with three female students in a high school bathroom. was revealed as a result of the autopsy. Owasso, Oklahoma.
“Benedict was examined by the school nurse but sent home and police were not contacted until later that day when Sue Benedict, the student’s grandmother and legal guardian, called from the hospital emergency room. ” reported the Associated Press. “In a video released by police, Nex-Benedict told police from his hospital bed that Nex “splashed water on three girls after they made fun of the way they were dressing…all three girls. He came towards me.”
Nex Benedict passed away at the hospital.
In this frame grab taken from body camera video provided by the Owasso Police Department, an officer speaks with 16-year-old Nex Benedict on February 7, 2024. (Owasso Police Department, via AP)
Sue Benedict claims her grandson was bullied by students for more than a year, and the U.S. Department of Education will investigate whether the school district failed to adequately address allegations of “sexual harassment.” He promised to launch an investigation to find out.as I got it. by reason According to the magazine, the facts of the case show a darker picture than simple bullying.
Nex was a 16-year-old sophomore. Said The three new female students, with whom they had no prior contact, were having problems with their friends “because of the way they were dressed,” but the basis for that assumption is unclear. The specific cause of the fight was that three female freshmen students made fun of Nex and her friend’s way of laughing. “They were saying things like, ‘Why are you laughing so much?'” Nex told officers. “They were talking about us in front of us. So I went there and poured water on them. And all three of them came towards me.”
The new female students “grabbed me by the hair,” Nex said. “I grabbed them. I threw one of them into the paper towel dispenser. And they pulled my legs out from under me, pushed me to the ground, and started hitting me. Then my friends… I jumped in and tried to help him, but I couldn’t see him. He passed out.” School District Said Other students and staff broke up the fight several minutes later.
Officers told Sue Benedict that she was welcome to report the incident, but that the girls’ parents might do the same.
“But let me tell you, if the other person wants to do the same thing…she was the one who assaulted her in the first place, so she will be assaulted as well.Essentially, she has a right to freedom of speech. , it was she who started it… [but] The moment she throws water at you, you hit someone. First jab landed. That’s not right, but they defended themselves. You retaliated. Both sides had an equal opportunity to separate, but now it has become a back-and-forth situation,” said a police officer.
No police report has been filed. Nex, who is biologically female, also used the restroom that corresponded to her biological sex, as required by Oklahoma law.
In a statement Thursday, President Biden called Nex Benedict “a kid who just wanted to be accepted.”
People gather outside the Stonewall Inn for a memorial and wake for an Oklahoma teenager who died after a fight on February 26, 2024. (Spencer Pratt/Getty Images)
“All young people are entitled to fundamental rights and freedoms to be who they are and to feel safe and supported in their schools and communities. Nex Benedict was a child who just wanted to be accepted. , should be with us today,” the president wrote.
“Non-binary and transgender people are some of the bravest Americans I know. But no one should have to be brave to be themselves. In memory of Nex, we… “We all need to recommit to ending discrimination and addressing the suicide crisis that affects too many non-binary and transgender children,” he continued.
The president sent condolences to Nex’s family and condemned bullying before addressing the broader LGBTQI+ community.
“To all LGBTQI+ Americans who feel this tragedy so deeply personal, please know this: I will always support you,” he said.
“To all LGBTQI+ youth across the country, you are loved just the way you are. If you are feeling overwhelmed or alone, call or text our national crisis hotline, 988, and dial 3. Dial and speak to a counselor specifically trained to support LGBTQI+ youth,” he concluded.
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