By Brody Levesque
The small town of Owasso, Oklahoma is grappling with conflict and accusations following the death of Nex (Dagny) Benedict, a 16-year-old Owasso High School non-binary sophomore who died after a physical fight in a restroom at the school.
However, according to school officials, there was no notification or staff awareness of the fight until the young student had been taken to hospital, where they later died. The Owasso Police Department is now investigating the circumstances surrounding the student’s death.
School Was Negligent
“It’s reported that classmates slammed this child’s head to the floor repeatedly, to the point where she could not walk to the school nurse’s station,” said Lance Preston, founder of the Rainbow Youth Project, in a video released on TikTok. “Did the school call an ambulance? No. Did the school call police officers? No,” stated Preston. He noted that attacks on LGBTQIA youth are escalating.
According to the local newspaper, the Owasso Reporter:
On Feb. 7, around 3:30 p.m., police were called to Bailey Medical Center by the parent of a 16-year-old Owasso High School student who allegedly had a physical altercation at the campus earlier that day.
Cause of Death Yet Unknown
The police report states that no initial report of the fight was made to police prior to their admission to Bailey, although information was taken by a school resource officer at the hospital.
On Thursday evening, police were made aware that the student was rushed back to the hospital where Benedict was pronounced dead from a medical episode, the report states.
Funeral
The Owasso Police Department declined to comment, noting investigators still don’t know if the fight was related to the teen’s death or if a separate medical issue was the cause. OPD said they’re waiting on the corner-medical examiner’s report before releasing more information.
On Feb. 15, after a service was held at Mowery Funeral Service Chapel, Benedict was buried at Ridgelawn Cemetery in Collinsville.
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