16-year-old Nex Benedict suffered severe head injuries after an alleged assault in a school bathroom
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE COURTESY OF THE BENEDICT FAMILY
Authorities have stated that the death of 16-year-old non-binary teenager Nex Benedict, who tragically passed away after an alleged assault in a high school bathroom in Oklahoma, was not related to “trauma”.
Nex suffered severe head injuries after an altercation at school on 7 February. After being taken for treatment of their injuries, Nex was discharged and allowed home. The next day, Nex collapsed and stopped breathing.
In a statement released yesterday (21 February), the Owasso Police Department said that preliminary information from the medical examiner’s office indicated that Nex “did not die as a result of trauma”. The official cause of death is currently “pending”.
The teenager was reportedly subjected to bullying from the beginning of January 2023, only a few months after Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill that required public school students to use bathrooms that matched the sex on their birth certificates.
Nex’s mother spoke to The Independent, saying that she “didn’t know how bad” the bullying had gotten at school.
Their mother continued, explaining that “Nex did not see themselves as male or female. Nex saw themselves right down the middle. I was still learning about it, Nex was teaching me that.”
After Nex returned home on 7 January, they told their mother that three older girls had attacked them and another trans student. Nex was allegedly knocked to the floor, causing their head injuries.
Our thoughts go out to Nex’s family, friends, and loved ones.
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