Chatter and rumors about ICE went on for days at school of Texas girl who died by suicide

Gainesville, Texas (CNN) — In late January, students at Jocelynn Rojo Carranza’s school spread rumors and speculation that immigration authorities would deport families of students at the largely Hispanic school, according to a parent and another student.

The 11-year-old died by suicide on February 8 – five days after her mother found her unresponsive at their home in Gainesville, Texas, according to an online obituary. Her mother says Jocelynn was bullied by other students who claimed her family was in the US illegally.

A day after Jocelynn’s funeral, investigators have not released information on how alleged bullying may have been connected to the death of the middle school student.

The mother of one of Jocelynn’s schoolmates, Jessi Noble, said her 11-year-old daughter, who is White, started coming home from school crying three weeks ago, expressing fear for her Hispanic friends due to chatter and taunting that she heard on campus.

“People had been telling her friends that were Hispanic that they were getting deported, that ICE was coming for them,” Noble said. “And she was just terrified.”

Noble said she was surprised that her own daughter even knew about ICE since her family did not discuss deportations at home.

“There was talk of, ‘I’m gonna call ICE on your family. You’re gonna get deported.’ Just a lot of fear, a lot of picking at each other,” Noble said, relaying what her daughter told her about comments she heard at school.

“I was sad,” Noble added. “I was sad for the kids to be afraid of something they shouldn’t worry about at that age.”

Unanswered questions

Jocelynn’s mother, Marbella Carranza, did not find out that her daughter had been bullied and was seeing a counselor at school until after she died, Carranza told CNN on Wednesday.

“After what happened to my daughter, we talked to the investigator to find out more about what had happened to my daughter, because they said it had been due to bullying, but I never knew anything about it,” the mother said.

Another student was taunting her daughter, saying that her family would be deported, and Jocelynn would be left alone, according to Marbella Carranza.

“We don’t know if she made the decision in fear of being alone … Or if she had been told to do it, so that she would not be left alone,” Marbella Carranza said. “These are unanswered questions that I still have, why, why did she do it,” she told CNN.

The mother told CNN that her daughter was born in the US.

District Superintendent DesMontes Stewart told local radio station KGAF about the incident in an interview partially shared on Facebook.

“There was no active bullying report filed with GISD. We had no idea that the things… that have been reported in the media have been taking place,” Stewart said.

“Students started coming to the table to make administration aware of kind of what’s taking place, so that we then found out, at that particular moment, that there was indeed some ongoing bantering and issues back and forth,” he continued.

CNN has not had access to the full interview and the questions Stewart was asked on the topic but has reached out to the Gainesville Independent School District for further comment on the bullying allegations, rumors and taunting related to immigration. The school district said a public report would be made available once the investigation is complete.

The school district issued general statements about its policy to investigate all reports of bullying.

The district said it could not comment on specific student matters in a statement emailed to CNN on Thursday but stressed that student safety is a top priority.

“We want to emphasize that we take all reports of bullying and student safety concerns very seriously,” the statement said. “Our district follows strict protocols for investigating any allegations, and we are committed to fostering a safe and supportive environment for every student.”

The Gainesville Police Department is handling the investigation into Jocelynn’s death, police chief Kevin Phillips said in a news release Thursday. An investigation into the bullying allegations is being handled by the Gainesville Independent School District, the release said.

“The Gainesville Police Department extends its deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family for their loss,” Phillips added. “This tragedy impacts not only the family, but our entire community including our First Responders that made the scene.”

‘She didn’t know how much people actually loved her’

A happy and energetic girl, Jocelynn was often found dancing and singing, Marbella Carranza told CNN. “She would spend the whole day playing with siblings and neighborhood kids who went to the same school as her,” the mother said.

“When I heard that she was gone. I don’t know, it just shattered my heart. It hurt me really bad,” said one of Jocelynn’s friends, 11-year-old Genessis Arnal, who went to the sixth grader’s viewing on Tuesday night – an emotional scene packed with dozens of friends, classmates and family members.

“It makes me feel sad,” Genessis told CNN. “She didn’t know how much people actually loved her before she passed away.”

Genessis says she’d been hearing from other students at school that “ICE was coming.” She didn’t understand the purpose of ICE or the concept of deportations until it became a prevalent topic in recent weeks, she told CNN.

“I was scared because I have family that’s Mexican,” Genessis said. “And like I really don’t want that to happen, because I love my family.”

While Genessis said she’d heard the chatter at school about ICE, she had not heard anyone specifically targeting Jocelynn.

Email sent to parents

On January 29, several days after chatter about deportations allegedly spread at school, the district sent out an email to parents addressing President Donald Trump’s new immigration policies.

The subject line of the email reads “Immigration Policy Concerns” and specifically notes Trump’s directive to remove schools from the “sensitive location” designation, a highly publicized move that prompted questions and concerns across the country on whether authorities could detain people at schools.

“Although our school district remains a place where every child and family is valued, respected, and cared for, we understand that these changes may bring feelings of anxiety, concern, and fear for many of our families, students, and staff,” the email states. “Please know that we are aware of these challenges and are committed to supporting you through this uncertain time.”

The email lists certain protocols that law enforcement officials must follow to access or question any students, like providing official identification and legal authority for their request. The email also urges parents to make sure their emergency contacts are up to date.

The district said in the email its counselors are prepared to assist students and families who feel anxious about the situation.

On Thursday, Latino civil rights organization League of United Latin American Citizens, also known as LULAC, called on the Gainesville Independent School District and local law enforcement to fully investigate the allegations of bullying.

“As mandated reporters, school officials had a duty to protect Jocelynn, and if they did nothing, they should face criminal charges,” Roman Palomares, LULAC national president and chairman, said in a statement.

The organization also urged the school district to release all findings once an investigation is complete and called on Texas lawmakers to “strengthen policies” that require prompt parent notification when a child reports they are being bullied, according to the statement.

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