The mother of a 12-year-old girl who took her own life has shared emails she says prove she “begged” the school to act over severe bullying of her daughter.
Charlotte O’Brien, a year seven student at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield in Sydney’s central west, took her own life earlier this month.
Daily Mail Australia revealed on Wednesday that Charlotte learned of her biological father’s violent criminal past.
She told her classmates what she had done, which her mother Kelly O’Brien says led to constant bullying.
Messages seen by Daily Mail Australia show the family and school discussing Charlotte’s claims she was being bullied for her disclosure.
In exchanges dated August 2022, Ms O’Brien wrote to Santa Sabina saying she is “very concerned about the harassment Charlotte may experience due to the information that has come to light”.
Ms O’Brien wrote that she would “hate to uproot Charlotte and send her back to a new school” but “the mental health ramifications of bullying are too severe”.
Charlotte, a seventh-year student at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield in the city’s central west, took her own life earlier this month.
The school responded: “At Santa, we take bullying very seriously. Please be assured that we will do everything we can to support Charlotte and you.”
He also said counselling was being arranged for Charlotte.
Ms O’Brien also wrote to Charlotte’s teacher, saying she was “overwhelmed by the support” she had been given.
“We will continue to monitor her and support Charlotte in any way we can,” the teacher replied.
In November 2022, Ms O’Brien wrote to the school to express further concerns about Charlotte.
“She (Charlotte) has emailed me with multiple crying faces and told me she was having a hard time with the girls,” O’Brien wrote.
After Charlotte died, her mother Kelly O’Brien sent this message to the Sydney school she attended.
As recently as August 2024, Charlotte’s mother informed Santa Sabina that Charlotte was too upset to attend school.
‘Unfortunately, Charlotte won’t be here today. She’s been coming home crying the last few weeks because of friendship issues.
‘Charlotte is very distressed this morning, so she will stay to collect herself.’
Then, on September 10, Charlotte’s mother revealed the tragic news that her daughter had taken her own life.
“My beautiful girl took her own life because of the incessant friendship issues she faced,” she wrote.
“I was afraid to label it as harassment, but that’s exactly what it was.”
“I begged the school to intervene… I wish I had been stronger and demanded they fix it!” she wrote.
Charlotte’s mother said her 12-year-old daughter cried every day on the way to and from school.
On Monday, Charlotte’s family spoke out in a statement sent to 2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham, demanding that the bullying they say drove their daughter to helpless despair over a two-year period not be “swept under the carpet”.
The school’s response Monday was that the family’s allegations “were new and inconsistent with its records.”
“She wrote a goodbye note specifically mentioning the bullying she received at school,” Charlotte’s mother said.
She said life was too difficult for her to continue.
‘When the most recent case of bullying was raised, the school simply said it had been investigated and the girls denied it. That’s it. Case closed. Let’s move on.
‘Well, my beautiful daughter’s life will not go on and I will never be able to say goodbye to her.
“These problems cannot be swept under the carpet. I will not allow my daughter’s memory to be swept under the carpet either.
“How many more children have to lose their lives to receive it? How many more parents have to feel the pain of not being able to pick up their children from school to receive it?”
“We are broken forever.”
Experts say suicide is complex and only rarely can it be attributed to a single factor.
The most important risk factors for youth suicide are thought to be a mental health problem or a physical disability, but bullying, family problems and bereavement are also considered risk factors.
Santa Sabina College has been contacted for comment.
For confidential crisis assistance, please contact Lifeline at 13 11 14
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