CHULA VISTA -- Students were shocked after an alleged suicide attempt at Eastlake Middle School.
According to parents and students, a girl tried to kill herself in the bathroom during lunch.
Assistant Principal Estephany Conlon sent out this e-mail to parents:
"There was an incident at Eastlake Middle today during lunch that involved a student inflicting harm on themselves. There was no immediate threat to any students or staff during this situation. The students’ parents have been notified. Again, at no point was there a specific threat made to any students or staff.""Eastlake Middle staff and administrators take these type of situations seriously and we will continue to be vigilant in ensuring the safety of all students. We ask that parents and students help us by identifying any concerns you may have as we move forward."
One mother, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she was furious that teachers didn't keep students away. She said her son was close enough to take several pictures of emergency vehicles.
“What if something happens at that moment?" she said. "She starts convulsions or something, you never know. And there are the kids. They’re watching. My son’s calling me saying ‘Mom, it’s happening right in front of me.’ This is just completely unacceptable.”
Child psychotherapist Deisy Boscan, Ph.D, believes it was a cry of help from the girl.
“Doing it in a public place is ‘I want you to know how much in pain I am. And I want to show you,’” Boscan said.
She urges parents to talk to their kids about suicide, and how they feel after situations like this.
“’What do you think prompted that girl to do that? I mean, would you do that? Would you come to me and talk to me about how stressful your life is?’ and then open the communication to the child, to the teenager and the teen to say ‘you know, I’m really stressed out. I don’t know how to cope,’” Boscan said.
She also thinks the school should provide counselors in case any of the students who were there want to talk.
"For the teenagers to, the kids to actually talk about how scary it is," Boscan said. "And some of them might feel guilty. ‘You know, I saw her going into the bathroom, but I thought she was just going to the bathroom.’”
SUICIDE PREVENTION (24-HOUR HOTLINES)
San Diego County Crisis Line: 1-888-724-7240
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
