Father Demands Accountability After Son's Death Linked to Bullying

A father in Los Angeles is demanding accountability after his 17-year-old son died by suicide, allegedly as a result of severe bullying and an assault at school. William Amaya stated that his son, Xavier Nungaray-Martinez, died after jumping from the fourth floor of Benjamin Franklin High School on September 30, moments after being physically assaulted in a classroom.

Amaya expressed outrage that no charges have been filed against the student suspected of bullying his son, despite video evidence of the attack. "He should be held accountable for what he did," Amaya told the California Post. "I don’t think no one in their right mind would jump off the fourth floor. This would have been prevented if enforcement was on campus."

The petition describes Xavier as being "brutally assaulted during class time by another student, and was denied the timely support of security intervention." It further states that the assault was recorded by other students, and that instead of receiving aid after his fall, his descent was also documented. "This speaks volumes about the lack of security, supervision, and immediate response strategies in our schools - gaps that must be addressed to prevent further tragedies."

Amaya believes his son was not suicidal and had future plans, including starting work. "He was looking forward to start working, he had plans," the father said.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) stated that in the preliminary stages of their investigation, detectives did not find evidence connecting allegations of bullying to the student's death. However, Amaya remains certain that bullying was a significant factor.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) offered condolences, stating, "Our hearts are with family, friends, and the Franklin High School community as they grieve this loss." The district declined to comment further on individual circumstances due to confidentiality and privacy laws.

The incident has reignited calls for increased security and law enforcement presence in schools. This comes after the LAUSD school board voted in February 2021 to remove police officers from school campuses and hire "school climate coaches" instead. "Right now it’s not just bring back the police, it’s bring back the police and have them be on campus every time our kids are on campus right now," stated Stephanie Amaya, Xavier’s aunt. "We need every single school and every single kid to have a chance and feel protected. We need accountability, we need extra police, we need protection for our kids in school."

Students at LAUSD schools "go for safety, education, and growth," but have transformed into "places of suffering, both physically and emotionally," according to the petition. The petition, which has gathered over 740 signatures, asserts that "schools in LAUSD are not equipped with the necessary resources and systems to ensure the safety of all students under their care."

Xavier Nungaray-Martinez suffered multiple fatal blunt traumatic injuries to his head and torso, according to reports. His mother, Lilia Nungaray, described him as "a beautiful, caring, and loving boy who meant so much to the people around him."