New Details Emerge in Case of Oklahoma Student
Student’s Death Possibly Linked to Gender Identity Bullying
The Bathroom Fight and Subsequent Hospitalization
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A recently released police search warrant has revealed more details in the case of Nex Benedict, a nonbinary Oklahoma student who tragically passed away a day after being involved in a high school bathroom fight, which may have been prompted by bullying due to gender identity.
The search warrant, filed in Tulsa County District Court just yesterday, shed light on the condition in which Nex’s mother, Sue, found the 16-year-old on February 8. When Sue Benedict called 911, she described Nex’s harrowing state – their eyes had rolled back, their hands were curled, and they were in a struggle to breathe.
Upon the arrival of the paramedics, they performed CPR on Nex and rushed them to the hospital. Sadly, Nex Benedict could not be saved and passed away later.
Immediate Aftermath of the Fight
The warrant discloses that although Nex was able to leave the bathroom after the fight on February 7, they were taken back to the hospital later that day and eventually sent home.
According to Sue’s statement mentioned in the warrant, the school nurse had advised Nex’s mother to have the teen checked after complaining of a headache resulting from hitting their head on the bathroom floor during the altercation.
Request for Assistance and Image Collection
Upon seeking assistance at the hospital, Sue Benedict requested to speak with the police but at the time expressed her reluctance to file charges. Instead, she asked them to speak with school officials regarding the issues of campus student interactions, as per the warrant.
Nex Benedict later told The Independent that, in the fight involving a transgender student and three older girls, they suffered bruises all over their face and eyes. The school district has acknowledged that the fight lasted under two minutes before it was broken up by other students and a staff member. The motive behind the fight has not been disclosed by both the police and school officials.
Investigation and School Cooperation
The Benedict family, represented by their lawyer, declined to comment Friday regarding the search warrant, stating that they are conducting their own independent investigation.
Meanwhile, a planned vigil for Nex Benedict is set to take place on Sunday in Owasso, the suburban area where the incident occurred.
The warrant, issued a day after Nex’s passing, specifies that investigators collected a substantial amount of evidence from the school. The collected evidence includes 137 photographs taken in the school premises, with images also taken inside the girls’s bathroom where the fight occurred. Additionally, two swabs of stains were retrieved from the bathroom as evidence.
Although the warrant outlines that the police were seeking evidence of felony murder, the initial results from the autopsy, as stated by the police department, do not indicate that Nex’s death was a result of injuries suffered in the fight.
While awaiting the toxicology and other autopsy results, the police department refrained from commenting further on the cause of death.
Owasso School Officials Statement & District Attorney’s Response
Owasso school officials revealed that they had requested the court order for the police search of the school premises, citing state and federal privacy laws concerning the release of confidential student records. “We are continuing to cooperate with the Owasso Police Department’s ongoing investigation,” said Jordan Korphage, the school district spokesperson, in an email to the press.
The District Attorney of Tulsa County, Stephen Kunzweiler, who currently has no involvement in the ongoing police investigation, commented on the incident, calling it a tragedy. He also advised against being swayed by misinformed sentiments fueled by emotions, and emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the ongoing law enforcement investigation.
About the Author
Marcelo reported from New York.
