CITY OFFER SETTLEMENT, MISSED WARNING SIGNS, TEEN DEAD
When our youth with big hopes for the future die tragically by taking their own life, a system has failed some one with mental health issues. What could we have done to prevent the spiral? Could we have said a kind word that would have had a butterfly effect on that person? By offering a moment of kindness in a heavy state, could that have shifted their thoughts or perception? Do we hold such power? Could we have avoided this teen tragedy? These are questions anyone closely affected by a suicide will ruminate on, such as the mother of Omotayo Adeoye. In this case New York City offered a settlement to the grieving mother.
TEEN TRAGEDY, HAD HISTORY OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
The mother of Omotayo Adeoye, the seventeen-year-old teen who killed herself by drowning in the Hudson river last year was awarded a $750, 000 settlements by the city of New York. Omotayo attended the elite high school of Math, Science and Engineering at City College, the third ranked high school in the city. She had a history of recent mental health issues that the school was aware of. When writing a test in her German class, she looked down at her phone.
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ACCUSED OF CHEATING ON GERMAN TEST
Her German teacher spotted this and accused her of cheating, saying, “You are only hurting yourself if you cheat.” The teen then wrote several notes on her test, “What am I doing? Why am I doing this? This is not me. I’m losing my hard earned credibility for some meaningless quiz. I am better than this. This is beyond stupid.” And then hauntingly wrote on the back of her paper, “I just want to go away forever to the bottom of the river.” Those words should haunt both the teacher and the school, as the teen tragedy immediately unfolded.
FISHERMEN WATCH HELPLESSLY AS GIRL DROWNS
Omotayo left the school with their knowledge and walked to the Hudson River. She gave her belongings to a stranger and walked into the river where she proceeded to drown. Nearby fishermen were yelling for her to get out of the water. But they watched the teen tragedy helplessly as the young woman drowned.
The education department has declined to comment on the settlement.
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