Bullied Transgender Teen Dies After Alleged Assault By Students In Oklahoma

A transgender student died earlier this month after they were allegedly assaulted by their peers in a bathroom at their Oklahoma school.

The Owasso Police Department said that 16-year-old Nex Benedict was treated at a hospital on Feb. 7 after a “physical altercation” at Owasso High School. The police said they had not received a report about the incident prior to being notified by the hospital about it.

Benedict was allegedly beaten by three girls in the girls’ bathroom and suffered severe head injuries after being knocked to the ground, according to the Independent. Their mother, Sue Benedict, told the news site that Nex was covered in bruises on their face and eyes and had scratches on the back of their head.

After being treated and discharged from the hospital, the teen returned home and went to sleep with a sore head, their mother said. The next day, Nex Benedict was rushed to the hospital after collapsing in their living room, where they were pronounced dead that evening.

Sue Benedict told the Independent that Nex had been bullied since early last year, not long after Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt ® signed a law requiring students to use bathrooms that align with the sex listed on their birth certificates.

“As we continue to mourn the loss of this student, our hearts go out to their family and they will continue to be in our prayers. We are here to support them and everyone who has been affected by this situation,” Owasso Public Schools wrote in a statement on Tuesday.

In an update on Tuesday, the police department said that a “thorough investigation is being conducted by Owasso Police Detectives who are currently awaiting an autopsy report and toxicology results.”

No charges have been filed against anyone involved