A girl from Sydney’s school has left a heartbreaking memory that has shocked her family, friends, and the entire school. The tragic details of her death have sparked intense grief and profound concerns about bullying and the inadequacy of systems designed to ensure children’s safety.
Charlotte was in Year 7 at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield, which is in Sydney’s inner west. She was 12 years old and seemed like a normal, smart girl. On the inside, though, she was going through pain that her family and friends are now telling the world about.
The terrible events that led to this sad situation have exposed both the pain she went through and the chilling words she left behind. Charlotte’s family went through an unimaginable loss earlier this month.
They spoke about how terrible it was to lose their daughter in a statement to 2GB radio host Ben Fordham. “Hi Ben, earlier this week our family experienced a day that will haunt us for the rest of our lives,” it said.
“We lost our baby girl in the most awful of circumstances. She was only 12 years old. The parents reported to the police that their daughter faced constant bullying at school.
They reported that the harassment had been ongoing for two years. They said that not much was done to stop the harassment, even though there were many reports and attempts to let the school know.
Charlotte’s family says that the bullying left her with deep emotional and mental scars. Several times, her tears in the school bathrooms revealed the depth of her struggles.
She told someone else, “I don’t want to be here.” The family talked about how much pain Charlotte was in.
There was one very scary talk where she told her mother, “My body fills with pain until my heart explodes.” Charlotte had been going to therapy and taking medicine for her depression.
Her family said they hoped the therapy would help her deal with the ways the bullying had hurt her. She did, however, send one last word to a friend she had made outside of school the night before she died.
She posted a Snapchat photo of herself crying with the message, “I am sorry.” Her worried friend tried to get in touch with her.
The friend sent desperate messages, including, “Charlotte, you are scaring me,” and “Charlotte, please, I am here for you.” The next day, her family and friends’ worst fears came true.
When Charlotte’s family found the scary goodbye note she had written, they found out the sad truth. In it, Charlotte talked about the bullying she had been through at school.
She wrote that her life had become too difficult for her to keep going. “She wrote a goodbye note specifically mentioning the bullying she received at the school,” people said.
“She said life was too difficult for her to continue.” Despite numerous reports of bullying, Charlotte’s family claims the school took no action.
“When the most recent case of bullying was raised, the school simply said it was investigated, and the girls denied it,” they explained. “That’s it.” Case closed. “Move on,” the family said.
You could feel the pain in their words as they told Fordham about their broken hearts. “Well, my beautiful daughter’s life won’t move on, and I’ll never get to say goodbye.”
People in the neighborhood are still shocked by Charlotte’s death. Her family vowed to preserve her memory by not allowing her story to fade away.
“These issues cannot be swept under the carpet. I will not let my daughter’s memory be swept under the carpet either,” they said.
“How many more children need to lose their lives before they get it?” “How many parents need to feel the pain of never being able to pick up their child from school again before they get it?”
In an emotional broadcast, Fordham talked about Charlotte’s struggle in greater detail. He talked about how the family was looking for a new school for Charlotte to go to the following year.
They thought that a new start would be beneficial for her. But time ran out, and their worst fears came true in a terrible way.
“Children of that age shouldn’t be put in a position where they take their own lives,” said the father of one of Charlotte’s friends. He talked about how sad everyone who knew her was.
Charlotte attended Santa Sabina College, which responded to the heartbreaking news. Principal Paulina Skerman thanked the community for its support and talked about how serious the bullying claims were.
“Several media outlets have contacted us today in relation to the tragic death of one of our students,” the statement said. “Through these inquiries, a number of claims are being made about the circumstances that led to her death—these are new claims to the College and are not consistent with our records.”
The school also stated that they were receiving assistance from counselors, Headspace, and other professionals for children and staff. But the statement also stressed the need for responsible reporting, especially when it comes to the mental health of young people.
The school told the news outlets to be careful with the story. In their response, the school recognized how serious the situation was, but it hasn’t helped the family feel better.
Fordham also claimed that Charlotte’s bullies had become friends with her, only to use the private information she had given them against her. Because of this betrayal, the pain she was experiencing got worse.
“She opened up to them, and then they destroyed her,” Fordham said during his broadcast. Hearing the last words that Charlotte’s friend sent her on the night she died broke his heart.
Since Charlotte’s death, mental health professionals have stressed how important it is to get help right away. They also advocate for increased awareness about identifying signs of bullying or depression in young individuals.
Charlotte’s family is still sad, but they hope that telling the world about their daughter will help bring more attention to the problem. They hope another family won’t suffer the same agony.
Kelly, her mother, made a strong plea. “I don’t want any other mum not being able to wake up their child in the morning.”
Kelly continued, “They are also just little girls, so they don’t understand.” She stressed, “Charlotte made a mistake in a moment of grief. She did not mean to do this. She did not understand.”
Charlotte’s terrible death is a stark warning of how terrible bullying can be. It makes it clear that families, communities, and schools need to work together right away to help kids who are at risk before it’s too late
