The family of a young woman who was allegedly bullied at a Sydney private school before committing suicide have broken their silence.
Charlotte, a seventh-year student at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield, in the city’s central west, took her own life earlier this month.
On Monday, Charlotte’s family spoke out, demanding that the bullying they say drove the Year 7 student to helpless despair not be “swept under the carpet” in a statement issued to 2GB breakfast presenter Ben Fordham.
“Hi Ben, earlier this week our family experienced a day that will haunt us for the rest of our lives,” the message read.
“We lost our little girl in the most terrible circumstances. She was only 12 years old.”
“There are no words that can describe what we feel and it will never be the same again,” the letter continues.
‘Charlotte has left a huge void in our lives and we miss her so much.
‘The reports you have received are correct. My daughter was harassed by girls who still attend school today.
‘She wrote a farewell note specifically mentioning the bullying she received at school.
Charlotte’s family said they were once asked to pick her up from school because she had been crying in the bathrooms.
Last week, Charlotte, a 12-year-old seventh-year student at Santa Sabina College, took her own life and her family says bullying drove her to complete
She said life was too hard for her and she couldn’t go on.
‘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.”
Fordham said the family had told him for two years that they had complained that Charlotte was being bullied at Santa Sabina College.
The family said that “on one particular day the school called Mom so they could pick up Charlotte because she had been crying in the bathroom.”
“She told the girl who found her, ‘I don’t want to be here.’ She told her mother, ‘My body is filled with pain until my heart explodes,'” Fordham said.
The night she died, Charlotte sent a friend a photo of herself crying with a simple text: “I’m sorry.” Her friend sent her a series of increasingly worried texts back.
Fordham also interviewed a father whose daughter befriended Charlotte outside of the school she attended in Strathfield.
The father, who only gave his name as Jason, said his daughter was bullied in elementary school and that this was partly why she bonded with Charlotte, who repeatedly said bullies at her school made her life hell.
The night Charlotte took her life, Jason said he sent his daughter a text message and a photo.
The photo was of Charlotte crying and the caption simply read: “I’m sorry.”
Jason’s daughter then sent a series of increasingly pleading responses.
“Charlotte, you’re scaring me” was the first message.
Then he texted: “Charlotte? Charlotte? Reply.”
“I want to know that you are okay,” the daughter wrote after receiving no response again.
“Charlotte, please, I’m here for you,” was his last message.
“I’m so proud of my daughter,” Jason said before breaking down in tears as he tried to express the “grief” of Charlotte’s family.
Fordham said he had also been in an email conversation with Santa Sabina College principal Paulina Skerman and had sent a message to the school community.
Ms Skerman thanked everyone for the “outpouring of love and support” towards Charlotte.
“I also need to address my concerns about the allegations of bullying at Santa Sabina,” she wrote.
“These claims are extremely serious and are being treated as such.”
Ms. Skerman said the school’s anti-bullying policy, which is listed on its website, dictates that “the response when necessary is always swift, measured and fair, with a commitment to ensuring the safety of all involved.”
The message urged anyone with knowledge or evidence of harassment to report it “through formal channels.”
“It adds nothing to turn such claims into mere speculation. At this point, speculation is harmful and unnecessary.”
While the segment was airing, Fordham said he received a message from Charlotte’s mother, Kelly, which he read.
“Thank you for standing up for Charlotte, something I feel like I failed to do,” Kelly wrote.
The director of Santa Sabina School, Paulina Skerman, sent a message to the school community saying that “speculation” and “gossip” about the tragedy are not useful.
‘Please, I must emphasize and beg that I do not want any girl to feel responsible for this.
‘I don’t want any other mother to not be able to wake her child up in the morning.
‘They are also little girls and that’s why they don’t understand.
‘Charlotte made a mistake in a moment of pain. She didn’t want to do it. She didn’t understand it.’
Santa Sabina College issued a statement on Monday in response to questions from Daily Mail Australia.
“A number of allegations are being made about the circumstances leading up to her death; these are new allegations to the College and are not consistent with our records,” the statement said.
‘Amidst a great outpouring of grief and with everyone rightly wondering how this could have happened, the College is asking the media to take great care in their reporting so as not to create further problems for other vulnerable young people in our community and beyond.
“The College’s main priority at this time is to support and care for our students, their families and our staff, as well as to support this grieving family.”
The school said it continues to work with counsellors, Headspace and other experts to provide maximum support.
However, she said “mental health experts” warned that increased media coverage “offers nothing positive for the grieving family or community” and creates “further vulnerabilities for young people… who are at risk because of what they hear and read.”
“While the College supports the idea of raising awareness about mental health challenges, we must bear in mind that children are involved and this situation must be addressed carefully,” the statement said.
Children’s Helpline at 1800 55 1800 (24 hours, 7 days a week)
Crisis help at 13 11 14 (24 hours/7 days)
Text Lifeline on 0477 13 11 14 (18:00-24:00, 7 days a week)
Online chat at www.lifeline.org.au (7pm-12am, 7 days a week)
