Jocelynn Rojo Carranza, remembered by loved ones as a “wonderful daughter…and friend to everyone,” died on Feb. 8
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(714x291:716x293):format(webp)/Jocelynn-Rojo-021925-f0555648e3de472ba7a6c9416d6cdb86.jpg)
An 11-year-old girl died by suicide after she was allegedly bullied by other students about her family’s immigration status, according to her mother.
Jocelynn Rojo Carranza was found unresponsive in her Gainesville, Texas, home on Monday, Feb. 3, mom Marbella Carranza told CNN affiliate KUVN. Five days later, she died at a local hospital, according to the outlet as well as the girl’s obituary.
Carranza alleged that her daughter was bullied about her family’s immigration status, reported KUVN .
“They were going to call immigration so they could take her parents away and she would be left alone,” Marbella, who did not address her family’s immigration status, claimed her daughter was told by bullies at school, according to KUVN.
Marbella claimed that her daughter’s school, Gainesville Intermediate School, was aware of the alleged bullying and offered her daughter counseling, but said she only learned this later from investigators.
In a statement to KUVN, the Gainesville Independent School District, which did not explicitly acknowledge any awareness that Jocelynn had been bullied, said that “whenever we receive a report of bullying, we respond swiftly to ensure all students are safe physically and emotionally.”
“While we cannot release any information about specific students or incidents, our schools have several policies in place to combat bullying and resolve conflicts,” they added.
Jocelynn’s death is being “actively investigated,” the Gainesville Police Department told the San Antonio Express-News.
Neither the police department nor the school district, which is investigating the allegations of bullying, immediately responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In her obituary, Jocelynn was remembered as a wonderful daughter, sister, niece and friend to everyone.”
In addition to loving to dance and swing, she also enjoyed getting her nails done with her grandma and enjoying “movie night Fridays” with her family.
A funeral was held for her on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at St. Mary Catholic Church.
In a separate tribute, the Boys & Girls Club of Cooke County said they were “deeply saddened” by Jocelynn’s death.
“Her story is a reminder to always be kind because you never know what someone is going through,” they added.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
