According to her mother, an 11-year-old New Jersey girl committed herself in her school restroom days after her father, a police detective, died of cancer and a week after she wrote school officials to report harassment. Bullying drove her 11-year-old daughter to suicide, according to her mother.
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What became to Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez?
According to police in New Jersey, an 11-year-old girl committed herself in the school bathroom only days after her detective father died of cancer and a week after her mother reportedly complained about bullying to school authorities through email.
According to the Daily Voice, the sixth-grader, Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez, was found unconscious inside a bathroom cubicle at Mount Holly’s F.W. Holbein School on February 6 at about 1 p.m.
According to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, “help was swiftly sought from staff members, and the school administration, police, and emergency medical technicians performed lifesaving measures.” “EMS took the student to a neighbouring hospital before being transferred to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she was declared deceased on February 8,” the statement said.
The sixth-grader committed suicide, according to the findings of an autopsy performed by the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office. Based on the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office’s inquiry, she was alone in the lavatory when this tragedy occurred.
Statement of Felicia’s Mother:
Felicia died not long after her father, NJ Transit Detective Alexis Melendez, died on January 25 from a pancreatic illness and not long after, she complained about bullying to school authorities through email, according to her mother. Elaina LoAlbo, her mother, told NJ.com on Saturday that her daughter had “sent many letters to the administration recording the incidences, but no one was ever questioned.”
According to the saddened mother, “They have brushed under the rug the bullying that she and so many other children in that school have faced, and now they’re doing the same with this investigation.” According to LoAlbo on Facebook, Felicia recommended in an email to school authorities a month before her death that they establish a “trauma club” where pupils may feel secure discussing difficulties.
Felicia was a shining light that touched many lives. She was an ancient soul, wise beyond her 11 years, LoAlbo said in a tribute to her daughter published on February 24.
“Unfortunately, Felicia’s optimistic approach was not enough to battle the ongoing bullying she was facing within our school’s gates,” she said.
Statement from the School:
The superintendent of schools, Robert Mungo, acknowledged a student’s death in a letter on February 8 but did not name the youngster or the suicide attempt inside the institution. Our primary goal at this challenging time is to provide advice and help.
Mungo also gave websites and phone numbers for mental health and counselling resources. According to Seth Turner, Felicia was one of the “brightest girls I have ever met,” and his daughter was close friends with her. He further stated that “my daughter confided in me that Felicia was being bullied by other pupils in her class” before Felicia’s death.
“Cease Bullying”:
Although there can never be an appropriate answer to the death of an 11-year-old child, Turner said, “Our response to this tragedy has been pitiful so far.” Felicia deserves better, in my opinion. She deserves a thorough inquiry, a complete accounting, and the truth, and I hope we can provide it to her, said the speaker.
A Change.org petition seeks the release of CCTV video from the area surrounding the lavatory where Felicia was found. “After being notified 50 times, the school management ignored me.” They may now be willing to listen to us. Bullying must be stopped immediately. Elaina said that there should be consequences for what they did.
She concluded, “This terrible conclusion is unexplainable and might have been averted.” “It has been my life’s task to ensure that her legacy lives on and these terrible tales are told.” The phone call to a parent should not have to be made.
According to NJ.com, the school board has decided not to comment due to the ongoing investigation. Nevertheless, when approached by NJ 101.5, Mungo refuses to respond.
Her father’s memorial funeral was conducted two days before Felicia was found. On Twitter, NJ Transit police paid a heartfelt tribute to Melendez, noting that his “great police work shined, and he was subsequently deployed to a plainclothes role.”
Adriana Olivia Kuch, a 14-year-old freshman at Central Regional High School in Bayville, New Jersey, committed herself three days earlier after being beaten up by classmates and receiving a short text about the incident.
Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez is a Person:
Felicia A. LoAlbo-Melendez, 11, of Mt. Holly, died on February 8, 2023, at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Her parents, Alexis Melendez and Elaina LoAlbo, welcomed her on December 19, 2011.
Felicia liked anime, theatre, Halloween, Krav Maga, and crafts. She also loved to read. She was the kind of person that everyone wished they could be.
Felicia had a lovely attitude and was kind and altruistic. Her family and friends would deeply miss her since she was the most loyal daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, and friend. Felicia has journeyed from coast to coast, snorkelled on the Great Barrier Reef, and constructed FairyLand. Her real-life experiences, along with her imagination, could only have taken her so far. From the minute she was born, she was destined for greatness.
Obituary for Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez:
Felicia’s father, Alexis Melendez, her paternal grandmother, Felicia Mosquera, and her maternal grandpa, Alan LoAlbo, all died before her. Her mother, Elaina LoAlbo of Mt. Holly, survives, as do her two older brothers, Jarret LoAlbo and Brian Dunleavy; several aunts, uncles, and cousins; her Tribe; and many school friends.
Felicia’s family and friends are welcomed to a Celebration of Life from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at Tilghman Funeral Home, 52 Main Street, New Egypt, NJ 08533, with a memorial ceremony beginning at 2 p.m.
After the funeral, the family welcomes everyone to a gathering at Dadz Bar & Grill at 744 Main Street, Lumberton, NJ 08048, at 4 p.m. Please bring your favourite Felicia photo to display on the bulletin boards.
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