Family: 10-year-old Utah girl who died by suicide was bullied by students for being Black, autistic

The Associated Press

3 years ago

Brittany Tichenor- Cox, center, joined by her sister Jasmine Rhodes, right, speaks about her daughter Izzy Tichenor, as hundreds joined the Tichenor family in mourning the death of 10-year-old Isabella "Izzy" Tichenor during a vigil at Foxboro Hollow Park in North Salt Lake, Utah, on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Tichenor took her own life on Nov. 6th in connection to being repeatedly bullied at her Davis County school for being Black and autistic, according to her mother Brittany Tichenor. (Leah Hogsten/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The family of a 10-year-old girl who died by suicide has alleged a Utah school district didn’t do enough to protect their daughter who they say was bullied for being Black and autistic.

The district was recently reprimanded by the U.S. Department of Justice for failing to address widespread racial discrimination.

Salt Lake City police confirmed this week they are investigating the weekend death of Isabella “Izzy” Tichenor as a suicide.

Izzy’s family says they reported the bullying but nothing was done to stop the harassment.

A Davis School District spokesperson said the school administration responded appropriately to the reports of bullying.