Warning: This story contains distressing content
The mother of a 12-year-old Sydney schoolgirl who took her own life has said she tried desperately to stop the bullying her daughter faced.
Charlotte, a student at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield, inner-west Sydney, tragically died by suicide on September 9.
Mum Kelly told Ben Fordham Live this morning she had emailed the school several times over the years, beginning in August 2022, over allegations of “friendship issues” and asked for it to be addressed.
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https://omny.fm/shows/ben-fordham-full-show/school-in-the-spotlight-mothers-heartbreaking-emai/embed
She also contacted the college in a devastating email sent shortly after Charlotte’s death.
“My beautiful girl took her own life last night because of the relentless friendship issues she faced,” Kelly wrote in the email sent on September 10,” the email reads.
“I was scared to label it bullying but that’s exactly what it was. I begged the school to intervene with these girls and now she is gone forever.”
The grief-stricken mother said she wished she had done more to protect Charlotte.
“I tried to be an understanding parent and think maybe she was too sensitive. I should have been stronger for her,” she continued.
“She didn’t deserve to go to and from school crying almost every day. She didn’t deserve girls to bark in her face or scream out her name and run away, to purposely hit her with their bag and say whoops.
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“She didn’t deserve the pain she was in. She deserved love and kindness. She deserved to be treated with dignity and respect.
“My darling baby angel is one because I didn’t make a big enough noise for her.”
Kelly added: “I’m sorry baby, I’m sorry.”
Charlotte’s mother said she doesn’t blame the students for her daughter’s decision to take her own life, but wants answers from the college.
She says she spoke to the school about Charlotte’s distress verbally several times, she told Fordham.
The school had advised Kelly they tried mediation with Charlotte and her fellow students and that the girls “had reconciled and agreed to be kind to each other”.
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Santa Sabina claims the allegations of bullying are “inconsistent” with their records.
In response, Charlotte’s mother told 2GB “they must have an issue with their records or they’re calling us liars.”
“We’re passing on a message from our daughter. Our daughter is not a liar.”
Paulina Skerman, the principal of Santa Sabina College, said in a statement yesterday the school is treating the allegations of bullying seriously.
Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Support is available from Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
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