A non-binary pupil has died after allegedly being attacked by bullies in a school bathroom, just months after a trans ban was announced.
Nex Benedict died in hospital earlier this month, just a day after they and another student were badly beaten.
However, early autopsy results suggest that Nex did not die as a result of trauma.
The cause of death has not been confirmed as police say they are waiting on pending toxicology results.
A non-binary pupil has died after allegedly being attacked by bullies in a school bathroom, just months after a trans ban was announced
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Officers are investigating the incident which happened on February 7 at Owasso High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
It is understood that the 16-year-old was attacked alongside a trans student who was a friend.
Officers say no 911 call was made by the school, who have so far refused to comment.
Guardian and grandmother Sue Benedict said Nex was bullied for being gender fluid before they were set upon by a group of girls.
"I was so proud of Nex - they were going someplace, they were so free," she said.
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"I said ‘you’ve got to be strong and look the other way, because these people don’t know who you are’. I didn’t know how bad it had gotten."
It comes after Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill in 2023 which effectively banned trans students from using their preferred bathrooms.
The ruling meant pupils were forced to use bathrooms which matched their sex assigned at birth.
Sue added that she was angry that the school had failed to call an ambulance or the police.
Officers are investigating the incident which happened on February 7 at Owasso High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma
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An Owasso Police Department spokesperson said: "The Owasso Police Department will release all information required by law, but it is the Department's policy to not release incident reports for cases that are under active investigation when there is a risk of compromising or harming the investigation.
"We understand that people are concerned about this incident and we can assure everyone that this incident is being taken seriously and is being investigated thoroughly.
"The Owasso Police Department offers our condolences to the family, friends, fellow students, and loved ones of the deceased student and we will do our best to discover the truth."
A GoFundMe has been launched to help the family cover funeral costs which has reached almost $50,000.
