LGBTQ teen Nex Benedict died by suicide, medical examiner says
Nex died one day after getting into a physical altercation with other students.
Oklahoma 16-year-old Nex Benedict died by suicide, according to an autopsy report
released Wednesday by the state's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Benedict, a member of the 2SLGBTQ community, died one day after getting into a physical
fight with several other students at Owasso High School.
Benedict was nonbinary and went by they/them pronouns, according to Benedict's family.
2SLGBTQ includes Two Spirit, an umbrella term used to describe a third gender in Native and
Indigenous communities. Sue Benedict, their mother, is a registered member of the Choctaw
Nation.
Freedom Oklahoma, a political advocacy group that fights for LGBTQ+ issues, said in a
statement to ABC News that Benedict's death highlights attacks on the transgender and
gender non-conforming community.
"2STGNC+ students are the ones at risk; they are under attack in their schools, and they are
under a coordinated attack by extremist politicians who care more about soundbites than
children’s lives," the organization's statement read. "Nex’s death occurred during a
nationwide effort to push 2SLGBTQ+ people out of public life and back into the closets."
Anti-LGBTQ bullying and violence have been the center of conversation in the aftermath of
Benedict's death earlier this month, as Benedict's family called for action and answers
concerning the bullying they say Nex faced in school.
"The Benedicts know all too well the devastating effects of bullying and school violence, and
pray for meaningful change wherein bullying is taken seriously and no family has to deal with
another preventable tragedy," the family said via their attorney in a statement to ABC News.
LGBTQ+ youth are at greater risk for poor mental health, bullying and violence than their
non-LGBTQ+ peers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which
encourages schools to implement supportive policies and practices for students who will in
turn experience better health outcomes.
LGBTQ students are also more likely to seriously consider suicide or attempt than their
non-LGBTQ peers, the CDC reports.
The Department of Education has opened an investigation into Owasso Public Schools
following a complaint from the Human Rights Campaign related to such concerns.
"Bullying in any form is unacceptable," the district said in a past statement. "We take reports
of bullying very seriously and have policies and procedures in place to address such
behavior."
In a statement to ABC News, the Owasso Police Department said it suspected the cause of
Benedict's death, but refrained from saying anything pending the results of the medical
examiner's office.
"From the beginning of this investigation, Owasso Police observed many indications that this
death was the result of suicide. However, investigators did not wish to confirm that
information without the final results being presented by the Oklahoma Medical Examiners
Office," the police said in a statement.
"The Oklahoma Medical Examiner's report has now been made public," the statement
continued, adding, "The Owasso Police Department would like to take this moment to
inform anyone in crisis or contemplating suicide of the Oklahoma Mental Health Lifeline, just
call or text 988."
The Human Rights Campaign released a statement condemning anti-LGBTQ violence and
bullying following the release of the medical examiner's report.
“As parents, we send our kids to school expecting that they will be safe and cared for," the
statement read. "Nex was failed by so many and should still be here today. We hold their
family in our hearts as they grapple with the devastating reality that their beloved child, a
teen with a bright future, is no longer making this world a brighter place."
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, call or
text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a
day, seven days a week.